PRESS RELEASE: Call to the President of Malta to withdraw the invitation to Pope Benedict XVI to visit Malta

Sejħa għall-President ta’ Malta biex jirtira l-istedina lill-Papa biex iżur Malta

His Excellency Dr George Abela, President of Malta

Dear Dr Abela

I would like to ask you to withdraw your invitation to Pope Benedict XVI (Josef Ratzinger) to visit Malta unless he withdraws his statements on gay and transgendered people.

On the 1st October 1986 Cardinal Ratzinger, then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith sent a letter to all Bishops saying that it is understandable that hate-crimes against gays increase if they are awarded more civil rights.

"But the proper reaction to crimes committed against homosexual persons should not be to claim that the homosexual condition is not disordered. When such a claim is made and when homosexual activity is consequently condoned, or when civil legislation is introduced to protect behavior to which no one has any conceivable right, neither the Church nor society at large should be surprised when other distorted notions and practices gain ground, and irrational and violent reactions increase."

This is also echoed in his speech delivered on the 22nd December 2008 where he said that the blurring of gender leads to the auto-destruction of mankind.

"la Chiesa parla della natura dell'essere umano come uomo e donna e chiede che quest'ordine della creazione venga rispettato. Qui si tratta di fatto della fede nel Creatore e dell'ascolto del linguaggio della creazione, il cui disprezzo sarebbe un'autodistruzione dell'uomo e quindi una distruzione dell'opera stessa di Dio"

In his writings he regularly calls gay relationships a intrinsic moral evil and objectively disordered.

As a leader of an organisation representing more than 1 billion people his teachings spread homophobia and transphobia world-wide and justify and inspire innumerable hate-crimes against a minority whose only fault is being different.

I have sent a letter to Pope Benedict XVI clarifying that not all Maltese welcome him and invite him to make an apology so that we can also welcome him.

People who remain silent or apologise to such speeches are as guilty as a witness to a crime who fails to come forward.

I am not anti-clerical or anti-Catholic and wish we could live in a country where people not only tollerate different people, but they accept them too as long as they don’t impose .

I hope, Mr President that you will consider these thoughts in any decision you might take.

Yours faithfully


Dr Inġ. Patrick Attard

Times: Call for equal rights for all forms of family

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091030/local/call-for-equal-rights-for-all-forms-of-family
Friday, 30th October 2009 by Claudia Calleja

Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Religious beliefs should not influence decisions to enact laws giving equal rights to gay people because it is the role of parliamentarians to ensure there is no discrimination between citizens.

"We need the necessary legislation changes to ensure different forms of families are recognised as equal before the law, irrespective of sexual orientation... This is not about religion but basic human rights," Malta Gay Rights Movement coordinator Gabi Calleja said.

Ms Calleja echoed the words of Labour education spokesman Evarist Bartolo who insisted gay rights were human rights and the government should not adopt the argument that the country was not ready to uphold them.

"The time is now. Countries can afford to wait but life is too short for those men and women who just want to be treated like the heterosexuals around them," he said during a conference organised by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe).

His words were greeted with loud applause by activists from 49 countries who attended the annual conference that runs until Sunday.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Louis Galea, also stressed the importance of upholding the rights of everyone irrespective of their sexual orientation.

While he supported equal rights, Dr Galea said he was still "searching for the truth" about same-sex marriages. It was important that dialogue continued on various subjects such as the conflicts between religious beliefs and the interests of same-sex couples.

While Malta did not have a specific law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBTs), he said rights were safeguarded through various laws that touched upon employment and gender equality, among other things.

But, Ms Calleja noted, addressing issues faced by LGBT specifically in legislation guaranteed protection and security and would help bring about a change in mentality.
President George Abela, who met the ILGA conference representatives on Wednesday, stressed the importance of information and education in tackling discrimination, increasing tolerance and accepting of differences.

In an effort to start changing ingrained misperceptions, four awareness-raising posters will be put up on Malta's bus stops to promote tolerance towards different types of families.

"We are asking for the recognition of what already exists. In Malta we have same-sex couples who live as a family," Ms Calleja said.

The posters - labelled Different Families, Same Love - highlight the challenges that LGBT families and their children face due to the lack of legal recognition.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

ILGA Conference: Opening Address by Hon. Louis Galea

Department of Information (DOI) Malta – 29.10.2009; Press Release Number 1871

OPENING ADDRESS BY THE HON. LOUIS GALEA, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AT THE 13TH ILGA-EUROPE ANNUAL CONFERENCE, HOSTED BY THE MALTA GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT (MGRM), ON THE THEME ‘OVERCOMING CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS BARRIERS TO LGBT EQUALITY’

- ST JULIAN’S - 29TH OCTOBER, 2009

First of all I would like to thank the MGRM for inviting me to join you this morning at the beginning of this important ILGA-Europe Annual Conference, the 13th one in succession. I appreciate that you chose Malta for this event and we thank you for going through the effort and expense to do so. I have no doubt that MGRM have done a professional job in hosting you here and I am confident none of you will regret coming here and savour a bit of our identity, culture and hospitality. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I warmly welcome you and wish you not only a most pleasant stay, but above all a most successful and productive conference.

I understand that apart from discussing various reports about the work ILGA-Europe did in the course of the year as well as an overview of relevant policy and constitutional issues for your better guidance in the near future, you also intend to reflect on the underlying theme you identified for this conference: “Overcoming Cultural and Religious Barriers to LGBT Equality”. In this context you will also be discussing sensitive sub-themes such as ‘Hate Crimes’, ‘Strategies on religious dialogue’, ‘Stigma and young people’, ‘Being a lesbian is no sin’, and ‘Law, secularism and the Catholic Church’.

Sexual orientation is a relatively recent notion in human rights law and practice and one of the controversial ones in many societies. Prejudices, negative stereotypes and discrimination are deeply embedded in our value system and patterns of behaviour as a result of the cultural and religious milieu in which we have been brought up and which has determined our view of life and the world around us.

I believe that the main principle guiding our human rights approach on sexual orientation refers to the fulfilment of human dignity through equality and non-discrimination. I also believe that Parliaments have a duty to ensure social justice and to guarantee the human dignity of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Parliamentarians need to inform themselves objectively about the issues that surround sexual orientation and they need to avoid the attitude that gay people are claiming any ‘special’ or ‘additional’ rights. What we need to examine is the issue of the observance of the same rights as those of heterosexual persons. In such a discussion our point of departure needs to be Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted some sixty years ago, which declares that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. “ALL human beings”, no exception, whatever their sexual orientation.

The world has gradually accepted that individual human beings have different sexes, racial or ethnic origins, and religions, and that these differences must be respected and not be used as reasons for discrimination. But most countries are still facing difficulties in accepting two other aspects of human diversity: that people have different sexual orientations, different gender identities and that two women and two men can fall in love with each other; and that a person’s identity, as female or male, is not always determined by the type of body into which they were born.

Progress in the recognition and acceptance of these facets of human diversity is manifested in various international and regional treaties, conventions and declarations, amongst others, at United Nations level, the African Union, Council of Europe, especially with its 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the European Union. The latter has promulgated several Directives and Recommendations that offer protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation and is insisting on additional requirements in its negotiations with candidate accession countries in their situation referring to human rights.

In my view culture and religion are two phenomena with immensely complex and far reaching societal roots. Human history is replete with incredible suffering, injustices, tragedies, holocausts perpetrated on the pretext, misguided or otherwise, of different ethnicity, cultures and religions. And despite the solemn ‘never again’ utterances following such tragedies, we continue to witness, even in our days, diverse forms of discrimination in every society, some more notorious than others to the extent that they grab the national and international media headlines. But there is an even more pernicious type of discrimination, which may never catch such headlines, very often perpetrated in an insidious semantically soft manner as a result of ingrained cultural and religious traditions, customs, beliefs and pseudo beliefs. In such instances many show a discriminatory disposition and act accordingly, very often unknowingly, unconsciously, because they are misguided, directly or indirectly, by those who are expected to know much better. I say this to underline the fact that I find it easier to gather support against political, social or economic discrimination than to change discriminatory attitudes emanating from a cultural or religious mind set. So I can understand why this year you chose to emphasise the theme of equality for LGBT’s in the context of culture and religion.

Allow me to confess that I am no expert in the field or on the subject which you chose to focus upon. And although I quite often participate in the PRIDE annual march with genuine support for your right to full human dignity, equality and non-discrimination, I have to honestly declare that I am still searching for the truth on the issue of same-sex marriages. I am confident that all of you are capable of respecting such positions whilst continuing your search to engage in genuine dialogue to overcome misunderstandings, error, ignorance and prejudice, all of which still abound in many strata of our society. I fully support any dialogue process with faith-based institutions and public awareness-raising, as well as debates on the role of religion and beliefs, culture and social norms in overcoming discrimination on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

I believe that in recent years the Maltese society has started to inform itself better about LGBT issues and a lot of progress has been registered to attack forms of discrimination in this field.
In Malta we do not have any law which comprehensively regulates the field of equality specifically vis-à-vis LGBT’s. Malta’s Constitution and the European Convention of Fundamental Rights and Liberties, among many other fundamental rights, guarantee that all persons in Malta have “full freedom of conscience and enjoy the free exercise of their respective mode of religious worship”. Also every person in Malta is “entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to the established human rights.”

Our Equality for Men and Women Act (Chapter 456) and Regulations issued by means of Legal Notice 181/2008, transposing EU Council Directive 2004/113/EC, implement the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to goods and services and their supply.

The Employment and Industrial Relations Act (Chapter 452) and the Regulations issued by means of Legal Notice 461/2004, transposing EU Council Directive 2000/78/EC and 2000/43/EC, implement the principle of equal treatment in relation to employment by laying down minimum requirements to combat direct or indirect discriminatory treatment on the grounds of religion or religious belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, and racial or ethnic origin.

Coming to culture and religions, I find that these have tended to enforce a straight heterosexuality at the expense of any other sexual expressions. Although the direct influence of religion in secular society has receded from the government level, the spiritual and moral convictions of legislators necessarily influence, and rightly so, many areas of law-making. It is natural that beliefs and behaviour are intertwined. It is true that there are increasing trends towards tolerance. But, we also witness the serious fissures such changes are causing in the internal cohesion of different institutions, organisations and social groups, as is the case with, say, the Anglican Church.

One of your sub themes is entitled “Being a lesbian is no sin…” I believe that genuine and informed believers do not consider being gay as a sin. But this title brings to mind that tolerance towards sinners was one of Jesus' most controversial teachings, as was his preaching that those who consider themselves better than others should humble themselves and consider their inner situation. As Christians we should, like the Good Samaritan, help minorities attain equal rights even if those people don't have the same beliefs, let alone when they are members of the same social and religious community. Equality and anti-discrimination should be the prime rules of the Christian who loves his neighbour, and although there are gay-friendly Christian groups, we need to dialogue with the anti-gay Christian community so that these become more understanding and tolerant.

We need to overcome established prejudice. We need to reflect on and discuss the conflicts that may exist between freedom of religious beliefs and the interests of same-sex couples, and if they do, how to resolve those conflicts. We need to focus on the possible legal and policy ramifications that are inherent in the recognition of same-sex relationships. I do not believe that such a discussion ought to degenerate into an us-and-them situation, or in a case of ‘old ideas’ of religious freedom needing to conform with new ideas. Instead, we need to focus on how to protect the fullness of human dignity and the civil liberties for all people.

Independent: Largest European LGBT conference being held in Malta

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=96358
29.10.9 by Elaine Attard

Around 300 persons from all over Europe and North African and Asian countries are participating in the ILGA-Europe conference being held in Malta, the largest ever held.

ILGA-Europe is the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association and works for equality and human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people in Europe.

The Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) is acting as the co-host of the event taking place at the Corinthia Marina Hotel, St George’s Bay, St Julian’s.

Along with the opening of the conference yesterday, MGRM launched an MGRM bus-shelter poster campaign funded by ILGA-Europe. The ILGA posters, which were translated into Maltese, portray different family styles. The aim of the campaign is to raise the profile of same-sex couples in Malta. The posters highlight the challenges which LGBT families and their children face due to the lack of legal recognition. The posters also highlight some positive development at European level towards legal recognition and acceptance of LGBT families and their children. The posters have already been displayed in various European countries.

MGRM spokesperson Bernard Muscat said the movement believes it is high time for Malta to stop ignoring the presence of same-sex families in Malta as if these did not exist and did not contribute to Maltese society in the same way opposite-sex couples do.

The ILGA-Europe conference is held every two years. MGRM had won the bid to hold this year’s conference titled “Overcoming Cultural Barriers to LGBT Equality” in Malta two years ago.

The conference will include a variety of plenary sessions and workshops to cover the human rights context. The content will cover in depth issues of culture, education, employment, social inclusion, religion, parenting and transgender issues.

L-Orizzont: L-imponiment tal-ideat

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57765

29.10.9 minn Byron Camilleri, GWU Youths

B’ħafna daqq ta’ trombi, il-mexxeja ta’ dan il-pajjiż jiftaħru li dan huwa pajjiż ħieles. Pajjiż fejn kulħadd għandu dritt jesprimi l-opinjonijiet, fehmiet u ideat tiegħu. Però, fl-aħħar mill-aħħar x’jieħu wieħed billi jesprimi l-ideat tiegħu jekk dawn ma jiġux imwettqin? X’inhu pożittiv fil-fatt li wieħed jiżvoga biss fl-espressjoni tal-fehmiet tiegħu?

Dan il-pajjiż mimli professuri tal-opinjoni. Kull min għandu ħalq biex jitkellem, pinna jew kompjuter biex jikteb, jew kull mezz ieħor ta’ komunikazjoni, jista’ jesprimi l-opinjoni tiegħu fil-beraħ. Il-gazzetti jkunu aktar mimlijin bil-fehmiet ta’ artikolisti u ittri lill-editur milli aħbarijiet. Dan forsi huwa riżultat ta’ pajjiż żgħir li fih ma jiġrux ħafna affarijiet ta’ kulljum u li l-gazzetti lokali huma limitati fir-riżorsi u l-baġits tagħhom. Però fejn wieħed għandu jaqta’ linja bejn opinjoni, espressjoni ta’ ħsieb libera u espressjonijiet kontra l-libertà? Dawn il-professuri ta’ kollox, ħafna drabi tarahom jiktbu l-ittri lill-editur jitkelmu kontra ħaġa u favur oħra, u li wisq probabbli jkunu qegħdin jaraw sal-ponta ta’ mneħirhom. Għalfejn għandu wieħed jitkellem kontra d-drittijiet ta’ persuni li tkun xi tkun id-deċiżjoni mhux se jkunu qegħdin jeffetwaw lilek bħala persuna u lanqas lis-soċjetà globali? Għalfejn għandek timponi l-ideat u l-fehmiet tiegħek dwar l-istil ta’ ħajja li persuna għandha tgħix? Għalfejn għandhom il-persuni l-oħrajn ikunu suġġett għal ħajja li ċertu persuni jaraw bħala l-ħajja ideali jew il-ħajja perfetta? Madwar xahar ilu waqt li kont qiegħed nattendi konferenza tal-presidenza tal-Unjoni Ewropea fi Żvezja fi Stockholm, u d-diskors waqa fuq il-libertà tal-persuni. Meta semmejt li f’Malta wieħed ma jistax jiddivorzja iżda għandna biss leġislazzjoni bażwija li tiddiskrimina bejn min jiflaħ iħallas u bejn min le, daħqu bijja u ħasbu li qed niċċajta. Fid-dinja, Malta u l-Filippini biss għadhom ma lleġislawx favur id-divorzju. Naħseb li għadna niddibattu dan is-suġġett minħabba raġuni ewlenija; li ċertu persuni ma jafux jagħmlu distinzjoni bejn stat u Knisja. Il-Knisja, li bla ebda dubju għad għandha ħafna saħħa fuq l-opinjoni pubblika, għandha kull dritt li tkun kontra, la darba jmur kontra t-tagħlim tagħha. Wieħed irid jiftakar li l-Knisja hija reliġjon u mhux parti mill-istat. Argument li ma jreġġix, huwa dak li għax bid-dħul tad-divorzju, il-persuni ma jidħlux għaż-żwieġ bil-ħsieb li jibqgħu miżżewġin għal għomorhom iżda bil-ħsieb li meta jridu jistgħu jinħallu miż-żwieġ li daħlu fih. Divorzju jbiddel biss l-istatus tal-persuna kkonċernata u m’għandux effett fuq is-soċjetà globali. Allura għalfejn għandna aħna nindaħlu fil-ħajja privata tal-persuni? Mhux biżżejjed li l-istat jintaxxana fuq kull azzjoni li nagħmlu, hemm bżonn li jindaħal x’nagħmlu fil-kamra tas-sodda wkoll? Ngħaddi issa għall-kwistjoni ta’ żwieġ bejn koppji tal-istess sess. Kuntrarjament ta’ dak li ħafna jaħsbu, il-problema ta’ dawn il-persuni mhix dwar il-ħajja sesswali ta’ bejniethom jew jekk jadottawx it-tfal. Iżda l-problemi jduru dwar jekk il-‘partner’ ikollux dritt ikun preżenti meta l-persuna maħbuba għalihom tkun qiegħda fuq sodda tal-mewt jew waqt xi marda serja. Problemi dwar wirt ta’ proprjetà li tkun inxtrat b’riżultat tal-imħabba ta’ bejniethom, benefiċċji soċjali li jgawdu minnhom koppji tradizzjonali u ħafna problemi oħrajn. Problemi li nistgħu nsolvuhom jekk dan il-pajjiż jirrealizza li l-istatus ta’ persuna ma jeffetwax lis-soċjetà globalment u għalhekk dawn għandhom jitħallew fil-libertà kollha biex jagħmlu l-għażliet li jridu huma għall-ħajjithom. Il-pajjiż u s-soċjetà m’għandhomx ikunu huma li jimponu stil ta’ ħajja lill-persuni l-oħrajn, iżda kulħadd għandu jkollu d-dritt jitħalla fil-libertà li jagħmel l-għażliet li hu jaħseb li huma l-aħjar, la darba d-deċiżjonijiet tiegħu ma jkunux kontra l-liġi jew jeffetwaw fin-negattiv lill-persuni l-oħrajn tas-soċjetà. byroncamilleri@gmail.com

L-Orizzont: Tibda tiltaqa’ l-Konferenza Ewropea tal-ILGA

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57742
29.10.9

Madwar 300 delegat minn diversi pajjiżi Ewropej jinsabu f’pajjiżna biex jieħdu sehem fit-13-il konferenza annwali tal-fergħa Ewropea tal-International Lesbian and Gay Associacion (ILGA).

It-tema magħżula għal din il-konferenza, organizzata mill-Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) hija “Negħlbu l-Barrieri Reliġjużi u Kulturali għall-Ugwaljanza LGBT”.

Dettalji dwar il-programm ta’ temi li se jkunu diskussi mil-lum sa nhar il-Ħadd li ġej ingħataw matul konferenza tal-aħbarijiet ftit tal-ħin wara li nfetħet uffiċjalment il-konferenza annwali.

Juris Lavrikovs, uffiċjal għoli mill-fergħa Ewropea tal-ILGA qal li din il-konferenza għandha toffri opportunitajiet tajbin għall-attivisti lesbjani, ‘gay’, bisesswali u transesswali minn madwar l-Ewropa biex jiddiskutu bejniethom il-problemi u l-isfidi li jiffaċċjaw, jaqsmu l-esperjenzi tagħhom flimkien u joħorġu b’suġġerimenti dwar kif l-awtoritajiet għandhom jindirizzaw diversi suġġetti li jolqtu lilhom direttament.

Il-koordinatur tal-MGRM Gabi Calleja qalet li din kienet sena eċitanti ħafna għall-moviment li għal dawn l-aħħar xhur kien impenjat bl-organizzazzjoni ta’ din il-konferenza.

Hija rringrazzjat lill-politiċi li se jkunu qegħdin jindirizzaw din il-konferenza kif ukoll lil min b’xi mod jew ieħor ikkontribwixxa biex dan l-avveniment seta’ jsir b’suċċess f’pajjiżna.

Gabi Calleja qalet li f’dawn il-jiem, l-MGRM kellha laqgħat ma’ diversi trejd-unjins Maltin.

Hija faħħret l-impenn tal-GWU li f’waħda mill-‘policy papers’ li nediet fil-ġimgħat li għaddew, titkellem dwar id-drittijiet fuq il-post tax-xogħol għal persuni lesbjani, ‘gay’, bisesswali u transesswali u tagħraf li kull persuna titwieled libera u għandu jkollha l-istess drittjiet u dinjità.

Waqt li l-konferenza tal-ILGA tinfetaħ illum, ilbieraħ infetħet il-konferenza dwar id-drittijiet tat-transesswali “Trans Rights Conference”.

Din hi l-akbar konferenza li qatt iltaqgħet fuq livell Ew-ropew biex ikunu diskussi problemi u sfidi li għadhom qegħdin iħabbtu wiċċhom magħhom persuni transesswali.

Il-konferenza indirizzat l-istituzzjonijiet Ewropej u l-programmi li dawn għandhom biex jindirizzaw id-diskrimi- nazzjoni fil-konfront ta’ persuni transesswali fis-snin li ġej-jin.

L-Orizzont: Il-President favur it-tolleranza

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57741

29.10.9

Il-President tar-Repubblika, Dr Ġorġ Abela saħaq favur aktar tolleranza u kontra kull tip ta’ diskriminazzjoni waqt laqgħa li kellu ma’ uffiċjali tal-bord eżekuttiv tal-fergħa Ewropea tal-International Lesbian and Gay Association, flimkien ma’ rappreżentanti mill-Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM), li bħalissa qegħdin jorganizzaw f’Malta t-13 Konferenza Annwali tal-ILGA-Europe u li għaliha qegħdin jattendu aktar minn 300 delegat mill-Ewropa kollha u lil hinn minnha.

Matul din il-laqgħa ta’ korteżija, il-President Abela semma l-importanza ta’ aktar tagħrif u edukazzjoni biex tkun ikkumbattuta d-diskriminazzjoni kif ukoll biex ikun hemm aktar tolleranza u aċċettazzjoni tad-differenzi li jeżistu. Huwa nnota l-progress li sar f’Malta biex ikun hemm aċċettazzjoni akbar ta’ persuni li huma f’minoranza f’dak li huwa orjentament sesswali.

L-Avukat Abela għamel ukoll riferenza għad-diskors inawgurali tiegħu fil-bidu tal-ħatra tiegħu bħala President ta’ Malta, fejn kien saħaq fuq l-importanza tal-inklussività u kkundanna d-diskriminazzjoni. Qal li meta f’dak id-diskors kien irrefera għall-minoritajiet u familji varji, hu kellu f’moħħu persuni LGBT. Il-President Abela saħaq fuq l-importanza tal-leġislazzjoni kontra d-diskriminazzjoni fl-impjiegi u fuq il-post tax-xogħol, waqt li qabel li s-sħubija ta’ Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea kienet fattur pożittiv lejn dibattitu akbar u aktar wiesgħa dwar id-diversità. Dwar it-tema magħżula għal-Konferenza Annwali tal-ILGA-Europe – “Negħlbu l-Barrieri Reliġjużi u Kulturali għall-Ugwaljanza LGBT” – il-President Abela qal li hu jemmen li l-imħabba hija l-akbar valur u virtù, li ma tista’ tkun klassifikata skont l-orjentament sesswali.

Kelliem għal ILGA-Europe kellu kliem ta’ tifħir għall-merħba u l-korteżija li ntweriet magħhom mill-President Abela.

Din iż-żjara kellha wkoll sinfikat doppju billi kienet l-ewwel darba li kap ta’ stat iltaqa’ mar-rappreżentanti tal-ILGA-Europe waqt il-Konferenza Annwali tagħha.

Times: Brussels promotes condoms and clean needles to fight AIDS

Thursday, 29th October 2009 by Ivan Camilleri, Brussels

The European Commission has unveiled a five-year strategy to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, saying condoms and clean needles are the best way to stop the spread of the disease.

“A correct and consistent use of condoms remains the most effective means of HIV prevention through sexual transmission and provision of sterile needles and injecting equipment and substitution treatment are the most effective means of HIV prevention through injecting drug use,” the Commission said in a communication to member states and the European Parliament.

Launching the new strategy in Brussels this week, Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said the EU needed to continue the political momentum in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

“We need to encourage people to take responsibility for themselves and their partners by talking about and practising safe sex and going for HIV testing. However, this needs to go hand in hand with respect for human rights and non-discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS. We have treatment options today that can delay the outbreak of AIDS for many years.”

The number of Europeans living with HIV and AIDS has increased at a worrying rate, from 1.5 million in 2001 to 2.2 million in 2007. About 730,000 of these live within the EU, with about 3,000 deaths reported each year.

In its strategy, the Commission is calling for a three-pronged approach based on improving prevention and testing, targeting high-risk groups, such as drug-users, homosexuals and immigrants, and focusing on those parts of Europe where AIDS has spread the most.

The Commission said efforts were needed to eliminate the stigma associated with the disease, which often prevented people from undergoing testing.

According to Commission figures, about 40 per cent of all new infections in the EU involve men having had sex with other men. About 30 per cent of HIV sufferers are unaware of the fact that they have contracted the virus.

ILGA: President of Malta highlights the importance of love and condemns discrimination during a meeting with representatives of ILGA-Europe

MEDIA RELEASE: For immediate release
27 October 2009

Today, representatives of ILGA-Europe¹s executive board and staff met with His Excellency Dr George Abela, President of Malta. This meeting was facilitated by Malta Gay Rights Movement who is a co-host of the 13th ILGA-Europe¹s annual conference taking place this week in Malta.

During the meeting Dr George Abela highlighted the importance of information and education in tackling discrimination and increasing tolerance and acceptance of differences. He said there is definitely a progress in Malta regarding greater acceptance of people with minority sexual orientation.

Dr Abela, who became a President of Malta 6 months ago, also made a reference to his inaugural speech when he stressed the importance of inclusiveness and condemned discrimination. He said he had LGBT people specifically in mind when referring to minorities and various families during his inaugural speech.

President Abela stressed the important of anti-discrimination legislation in employment and agreed that Malta EU membership is a positive factor contributing towards greater debate on diversity and acceptance.

When asked to reflect on the theme of ILGA-Europe¹s conference in Malta ³Overcoming Cultural and Religious Barriers to LGBT Equality², President Abela said he believes love is the most important virtue and value and cannot be graded depending on sexual orientation.

The meeting took place in the presidential palace in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. This is the first time a head of state meets representatives of ILGA-Europe during its annual conference.

Group picture from that meeting will be available later. If you require such image, please e-mail your request to juris@ilga-europe.org


Ends

For more information please contact
Juris Lavrikovs at + 32 496 708 375




Notes for editors:

(1) ILGA-Europe is the European Region of ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association and works for equality and human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans & intersex people in Europe: www.ilga-europe.org

(2) More information about the Annual Conference in Malta is available on our website: www.ilga-europe.org/conference

(3) This conference is organised in partnership with Malta Gay Rights Movement:www.maltagayrights.net

(4) Regular updates from the Annual Conference will be posted on our website and facebook page:

www.ilga-europe.org

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ILGA-Europe/11494607341

Di-ve: Campaign promotes acceptance of LGBT families

http://di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=65446&newscategory=31

by di-ve.com - editorial@di-ve.com
Current Affairs -- 28 October 2009 -- 16:00CEST

ILGA-Europe, an association of over 200 European NGOs concerned with LGBT issues, will be holding its 2009 annual conference in Malta between October 29 and November 1, accompanied by a poster campaign urging for the legal recognition and acceptance of LGBT families and their children.

The conference is being organised in partnership with the Malta Gay Rights Movement.

Starting in Wednesday, and lasting for the duration of the conference, a number of posters from ILGA-Europe’s “Different Families, Same Love” campaign, translated into Maltese, will be displayed on bus stops throughout the country.

The posters aim to highlight the challenges faced by LGBT families and their children due to the lack of legal recognition, as well as positive developments which have occurred at the European level

“We are glad to see our family campaign posters being displayed in Malta. We hope that the images and short stories on the posters will make many people think and agree that all families regardless of partners’ and their children’s sexual orientation and gender identity deserve same respect, recognition and protection,” co-chair of ILGA-Europe executive board Linda Freimane commented.

MGRM spokesman Bernard Muscat said that the Maltese NGO believed that “it is high time for Malta to stop ignoring the presence of same-sex families in Malta as if they did not exist and did not contribute to Maltese society in the same way opposite-sex couples do.

“It is crucial to enact the necessary legislation changes to ensure that different forms of families are recognised as equal before the law, irrespective of the partners’ sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Times: Let God say what's right or wrong

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091028/opinion/let-god-say-whats-right-or-wrong

Wednesday, 28th October 2009 by Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mercieca

I was happy to see the title Majority Of Students Oppose Abortion (October 15). Unfortunately, however, when I went through the text of the same news item I could not help feeling disappointed and sad.

The report referred to the findings of what statistician Vincent Marmarà described as a scientific survey wherein 395 Maltese University students, randomly chosen, were asked to share their opinion about a number of hot issues.

The survey shows that the large majority of students interviewed, 78.7 per cent, reject abortion. However, 14.4 per cent express themselves in favour and another 6.8 per cent said they don't know.

Moreover, it turns out that, as regards divorce, 55 per cent of the students believe divorce should be introduced, as opposed to 33 per cent who were described as adamantly against.

We also read that the "progressive" student organisation MOVE disagreed with abortion but supported the introduction of divorce, gay marriage, cohabitation rights and condoms on campus and is still discussing its position on the morning-after pill.

This organisation encourages progressives to discuss issues "our conservative society" has been afraid to discuss.

The report quotes MOVE president Godfrey Galea saying: "Progressive is when you believe everyone has every right to live freely and equally without discrimination. Progressives believe everyone should have the right to choose and make their own decisions without anyone or anything imposing what should or should not be done. Progressives do not accept the status quo and believe change serves to renew".

During a debate it was also stated that the condom machine on campus was not only important to promote safe sex but was a symbol of the distinction that had to be made between the Church and the University, which was a secular education institution.

A view of the beliefs as pronounced by MOVE shows that this could be interpreted as an incorrect and wrong appreciation of the Church's views on sexual health education. In fact, MOVE spokesman Byron Camilleri said: "It was worrying Malta still had no sexual health policy and that the Church's views on sexual health education did not respect today's realities when, on average, people lost their virginity at 16".

Yet, it needs to be stated that what progressives appear to understand when they speak about the right to choose and decide what should or should not be done is a gross moral blunder.
However, these progressives bring to light an interesting side of the picture of our times: many young people are today passing through a new phase of social life. They are witnessing quick and deep changes in the milieu they are living; besides they feel they are the product of a more intelligent and creative mind and experience a deep sense of liberty as never before.

Many young people of our day have such a high sense of the dignity of the human person that they feel prompted to act more and more on their own judgment, enjoying and making use of a responsible freedom, not driven by coercion but motivated by a sense of duty.

This demand for freedom in human society regards chiefly the quest for the values proper to the human spirit; it regards, in the first place, the free exercise of religion in society.

Yet, it does not rarely happen that this kind of freedom is greatly and very often abused, as when people feel they can do everything that is pleasing to them notwithstanding that it is morally wrong.

It is dangerous to state that I have the right to do what my conscience tells me to do simply because my conscience tells me to do it or to act in this way. It is dangerous because, this way, in the end it is my conscience, and not the objective truth, which determines what is right or wrong, true or false.

In the presence of such beliefs, as upheld and proposed by the progressives, it would be very useful that these views of theirs be reconsidered in the light and the context of what we Christians hold that Almighty God declared openly to all mankind.

When Almighty God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and forbade them from eating fruit from a specific tree upon punishment of death, God made it clear that no person on earth has the power to decide what is wrong and what is right.

Indeed, no person on earth can ever usurp this power that belongs solely and exclusively to Almighty God.

By straying far from God's will our first parents fell into sin, that is, the wrong use of freedom. Yet, the heavenly Father did not forsake us; he sent his son Jesus to heal our wounded freedom and to restore the disfigured image, making it even more beautiful.

Victorious over sin and death, Jesus affirmed his lordship over the world and history. He is alive and invites us not to submit our personal freedom to any earthly power but only to him and to his almighty Father.

One's conscience must remain in obedience to the law of God, which is not always the easy way. One recognises the weight of the sacrifices and the burdens it can impose.

Heroism is sometimes called for in order to remain faithful to the requirements of the divine law.

I make my own Pope John Paul II's appeal way back in 2002 in Rome: "Young people of the new millennium, do not misuse your freedom! Do not lose the great dignity that God has conferred on you as his sons and daughters! Submit only to Christ, who wants your good and your true joy (cf. Mt 23, 8-10); to him, who wants you to be men and women who are perfectly happy and fulfilled! In this way you will find that only by following God's will can we be the light of the world and the salt of the earth!"

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

Times: The only thing we are totally against is abortion - SDM

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091027/local/the-only-thing-we-are-totally-against-is-abortion-sdm
Tuesday, 27th October 2009 by Christian Peregin

There is "no conflict" between the values of the majority of students and those of the Christian-democrat organisation elected to form the University Students' Council, according to the organisaton's president, Lauro Fava.

Mr Fava, who heads Studenti Demokristjani Maltin (SDM), was asked to react to a recent survey which found that the majority of University students did not oppose divorce, gay marriage, the morning-after pill, cohabitation rights and the introduction of a condom machine on campus.

The survey was conducted and published by a new "progressive" student organisation called Move, which said it too was in favour except on the morning-after pill, which it was still discussing.

The only thing that students were adamantly against (79 per cent) was abortion, which even Move disapproved of.

But even though the SDM is known for its traditional values, advocating Christian Democratic principles, Mr Fava said the only thing his organisation was completely opposed to was abortion.

He said divorce was a debate the country had to have but stressed the need to keep children in mind and to provide family-friendly measures which prepared people for marriage.

He added his organisation believed in the need for the state to regulate cohabiting couples, which may include civil unions between gay couples.

"But I don't think I would commit to the word marriage," he said.

On the condom issue, which has haunted students for the past 10 years but especially more recently, he said this was a "non-issue" and SDM was neither in favour nor against.

He said sexual education should take place in secondary schools, because by the time students came to University they knew what they should or should not do.

On the morning-after pill, he said this was being discussed internally. "If the pill is abortive then we are against it. But science is undecided about this. That's the only thing that's stopping us from saying we are in favour of it," he said.

In light of all this he was confident there was "no conflict" between SDM's values and those of the majority of students.

He added, however, that students did not elect SDM members into the students' council for the past three years just because of their values since there were other factors, such as their candidates, manifestoes and track-record.

He also had doubts about the methodology of the survey because it was carried out on random face-to-face interviews with around 400 students and he felt there could be flaws in this sample method.

Meanwhile, KSU president Carl Grech also questioned the sampling method but praised Move for their initiative and for a successful launch which got people talking.
When asked for KSU's stands on the various issues raised, he said the only official stand he knew of was the recently updated sexual health policy which focused on abstinence, being faithful and "contraceptives". The policy did not cover the condom machine issue.

He argued that all the talk about condoms had overshadowed more important educational issues like student mobility and University funding, but stopped short of saying it
was not a priority.

"If there are students who care so much about this issue, it is a priority, and it will be discussed in due time," he said, adding that a simple survey did not change anything as yet.

Asked about the other issues, he said KSU developed its policies through the Social Policy Commission, which brings together students from all active organisations to make their voices heard and come up with policies. "If someone raises the issues there, the policies would be made," he said.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

MaltaToday: Europe’s gay community tackles religion in Malta conference

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/25/t15.html
25.10.9 by MATTHEW VELLA

The International Lesbian Gay Association’s (Europe) annual conference will convene in Malta for the very first time, where Malta’s gay community will play host to high-profile attendees such as former Italian MP Vladimir Luxoria.

The ILGA-Europe annual conference is organised every year in a different European country. In 2007, the Malta Gay Rights Movement decided to bid for the hosting of the 2009 conference, which is entitled “Overcoming Religious and Cultural Barriers to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi- and transsexual) Equality”.

“It was felt that bringing such a high-calibre conference to Malta would encourage a more active discussion of gay issues, which are often cast aside in favour of less controversial ones. Being a proactive organisation, MGRM decided that instead of waiting for change to start happening on its own, organising the conference in Malta could help raise the profile of LGBT rights locally,” spokesperson Bernard Muscat told MaltaToday.

The conference will allow local Maltese participants to attend various workshops and discussion sessions taking place and interact directly with gay rights activists from all over Europe and beyond.

Participants will be addressed MEP Ulrike Lunacek, Vladimir Luxuria, Juris Calitis, pastor of the Anglican Church of Latvia, Francis Agius, head of Maltese delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and Frits Huffnagel, Alderman of Hague City Council.

“The possibility to network with people facing similar barriers in other countries allows one to gain perspectives that are critical to the attainment of LGBT equality goals,” Muscat said.

Religion and culture will be tackled through the conference as two important determinants that directly influence the way a country deals with minority issues. Participants will share their experiences with regards to religious and cultural barriers faced in their countries.

“Participants from a mix of cultures and a number of religions will be present during the conference, with activists coming from as far as Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Georgia. A number of participants from Northern Africa and the Middle East will also be participating,” Muscat said.

Political message

MGRM hope that the conference will send a direct message to political parties to get up to speed on minority rights. “The impression is that elected officials often lag behind the general public’s views on such issues. MGRM feels that a lot more needs to be done with regards to equality for LGBT people in Malta. It is no longer acceptable for local politicians to state they are against discrimination in the broad sense of the term, but then continue to ignore more direct discrimination faced by LGBT people,” Muscat said.

“The message that we want to put forward to the Maltese public – and not just by means of the conference, but every single day – is that LGBT people are equal to the heterosexual majority and should be treated as such. There is absolutely no reason to deny LGBT people rights and obligations that other segments of society take for granted.”

MGRM is currently involved in pressing for equal recognition from the State to same-sex couples as it does to opposite-sex ones. The group says it is not acceptable to continue to actively ignore the realities of same-sex couples as if these did not exist. “We would like there to be legal protection against discrimination in the provision of goods and services. For example, a same-sex couple cannot be denied the possibility to rent out a flat because the owner realises they are gay,” Muscat said.

In talks with political party representatives MGRM has also discussed the formal extension of the remit of National Commission for the Promotion of Equality to also include sexual orientation. The NCPE’s remit currently includes only race and gender issues.

Europa: A strategy for combating HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries 2009-2013

[Europa is the portal site of the European Union]
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1583&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
26.10.9 Brussels


Today, the Commission has renewed its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries by adopting a strategy for the period 2009-2013. Effective HIV treatment exists but there is still no cure or vaccine against AIDS. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries has increased from 1.5 million in 2001 to 2.2 million in 2007. Approximately 730,000 of these people live in the EU. With 50 000 newly diagnosed HIV cases in the EU and the neighbouring countries alone in 2007, there is no time for complacency. Disparities exist between the numbers of HIV cases and the different modes of transmission across Europe. The strategy tackles these differences by concentrating on 3 key areas: HIV prevention and HIV testing, priority groups most at risk of HIV and priority regions. The strategy is accompanied by an action plan which illustrates concrete steps, target groups and evaluation tools that can be used to measure progress.

EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said "We need to continue the political momentum in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We need to encourage people to take responsibility for themselves and their partners by talking about and practicing safe sex and going for HIV testing. However, this needs to go hand in hand with the respect for the human rights and non discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS. We have treatment options today that can delay the outbreak of AIDS for many years''.

Objectives

The overall objectives of this Strategy are: (i) to reduce new HIV infections across all European countries by 2013, (ii) to improve access to prevention, treatment, care and support and (iii) to improve the quality of life of people living with, affected by or most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighbouring countries. The strategy calls on all key actors including national authorities and NGOs to work on:

• improving information for all, especially targeting young people who have missed the successful HIV communication campaigns in the past
• addressing migrants from countries with a high prevalence of HIV to make them knowledgeable on preventing transmission, HIV testing and treatment options
• improving policies targeting, in particular, the populations most at risk, emphasising human rights, and addressing discrimination and stigma associated to HIV/AIDS

Priority regions

HIV infections are particularly high in the neighbouring countries of the Union. Exchange of good practices on prevention, testing, treatment and care between countries is important. This is especially beneficial in times of budget constraints. The cooperation and know how transfer of doctors, nurses and public health experts as well as the sharing of quality data will help colleagues in neighbouring countries to improve evidence based prevention, state of the art testing and treatment services, and to improve surveillance. Such joint efforts will reduce new infections and improve the life of people living with HIV/AIDS and underline the value of good cooperation between neighbours.

Priority groups: most at risk populations

The strategy reiterates the fact that the biggest impact on the epidemic can be achieved when the situation of the most at risk populations is efficiently addressed. The major at risk populations in Europe are men having sex with men, accounting for about 40% of all new infections in the EU, migrants from high prevalence areas, and injecting drug users, with a share of up to 70% of all new infections in EU neighbouring countries. Tailor-made approaches to reach these groups are essential towards containing the epidemic in Europe.

Early testing and timely access to treatment save lives

Of particular concern is the high number of persons who are not aware of their infection. About 30% of people in the EU and up to 70% of people in several neighbouring countries do not know their HIV status. This presents a serious concern for policy makers. Late diagnosis usually leads to late treatment and hence to a reduced life expectancy, a lower quality of life and to an increased danger of transmitting the virus to partners.

Background

The European Commission is involved in the fight against AIDS at European and Global levels. The first strategy on combating HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries, adopted in 2005 laid the foundations for today’s updated strategy. A number of key achievements relate to a stronger political commitment, involvement of civil society at European level, the operational centralisation of HIV/AIDS surveillance by the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), efforts to facilitate access to affordable antiretroviral medicines, funding of prevention projects and programmes, investments in research, and a close cooperation between partners.

More information:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/aids/aids_en.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/health_problems/hiv-aids/index_en.htm

MEMO/09/479

L-Orizzont: Din il-gimgha tiltaqa’ f’Malta l-Konferenza Ewropea tal-ILGA

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57653
26.10.9 minn Sammy Sammut

Grazzi għall-ħidma sfiqa mwettqa minnu f’fora internazzjonali matul ix-xhur li għaddew, il-Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) din il-gimgħa se jkun qed jagħti merħba lil aktar minn 265 delegat minn diversi pajjiżi Ewropej li se jkunu qegħdin jieħdu sehem fil-31 Konferenza Annwali tal-fergħa Ewropea tal-International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA).

It-tema magħżula għall-Konferenza ta’ din is-sena, li se tkun qiegħda tiltaqa’ bejn il-Ħamis, 29 ta’ Ottubru u l-Ħadd, l-1 ta’ Novembru, fil-Lukanda Corinthia Marina fil-Bajja ta’ San Ġorġ, San Ġiljan, hija "Ngħelbu l-Barrieri Reliġjużi u Kulturali għall-Ugwaljanza LGBT".

Il-Konferenza mhijiex sempliċi assemblea ġenerali annwali ta’ din l-għaqda Ewropea, fejn jittieħed kont tal-attivitajiet organizzati matul is-sena li għaddiet u jkun elett il-Bord Eżekuttiv il-ġdid, iżda toffri wkoll l-opportunità lil attivisti LGBT minn kull rokna tal-Ewropea u wkoll lil hinn minnha, biex jiddiskutu u jibdlu l-opinjonijiet u l-ħsibijiet tagħhom dwar firxa sħiħa ta’ suġġetti li jolqtu mill-qrib lill-persuni lesbjani, gay, bisesswali u transesswali.

Fil-fatt, wieħed mill-għanijiet ta’ din il-Konferenza Ewropea tal-ILGA huwa dak li l-attivisti LGBT jgħarblu problemi u sfidi komuni, jaqsmu l-esperjenzi tagħhom u flimkien jipprovaw jisiltu l-aħjar prattiċi biex ikomplu jikkumbattu d-diskriminazzjoni li għadha teżisti fl-Ewropa u fl-istess waqt javvanzaw il quddiem l-ugwaljanza u d-drittijiet umani tal-persuni LGBT. Dan jsir billi waqt li janalizzaw l-iżviluppi u l-kisbiet li saru matul it-tnax-il xahar li għaddew, jfasslu proġetti, strateġiji u tattiċi futuri.

Konformi mat-tema magħzula għal din is-sena, matul is-sessjonijiet plenarji u aktar minn tletin workshop differenti li sejrin jiltaqgħu matul l-erbat’ijiem tal-Konferenza, id-delegati Ewropej tal-ILGA sejrin ikunu qegħdin jiddjalogaw ma’ rappreżentanti ta’ istituzzjonijiet reliġjuzi u kulturali diversi bil-għan li tkun megħluba d-diskriminazzjoni bbażata fuq l-orjentament sesswali, l-identità tal-ġeneru u l-espressjoni tal-ġeneru. Attenzjoni patikolari se tingħata wkoll ghar-reati tal-mibgħeda u d-drittijiet ta’ minoranzi, kif ukoll kwistjonijiet kulturali u oħrajn li jolqtu l-edukazzjoni, ix-xoghol, l-inklużjoni soċjali, ir-reliġjon u anke s-servizzi tas-saħħa.

Għal din il-Konferenza diġa kkonfermaw il-parteċipazzjoni tagħhom uffiċjali mill-Unjoni Ewropea u mill-Organizzazzjoni Ewropea ghas-Sigurtà u l-Koperazzjoni (OSCE), kif ukoll rappreżentanti tal-Gvern Skoċċiz u Olandiz, flimkien ma’ persuni akkademiċi minn Spanja u r-Renju Unit.

Kontribut importanti ser jingħata minn għadd ta’ personalitjiet distinti li sejrin jindirizzaw lid-delegati u jieħdu sehem f’workshops differenti. Dawn jinkludu lill-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Ulrike Lunacek, l-ex Membru Parlamentri Taljan u ġurnalist, Vladimir Luxuria, Juris Callitis li huwa pastor tal-Knisja Anglikana fil-Latvja, il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Maltija għall-Assemblea Parlamentari tal-Kunsill tal-Ewropa, it-Tabib Francis Agius u s-Sindku tal-belt ta’ The Hague, Frits Huffnagel.
Ġurnata qabel tibda l-Konferenza Annwali tal-ILGA Europe - nhar il-Ħamis, 28 ta’ Ottubru se tiltaqa’ konferenza ohra 'TransEurope’ li se tkun l-akbar waħda li qatt iltaqgħet fuq livell Ewropew biex ikunu diskussi problemi u sfidi li għadhom qegħdin iħabbtu wiċċhom magħhom persuni transesswali.

Tul din il-Konferenza se tingħata ħarsa lejn l-iżviluppi politiċi u leġislattivi li kien hemm kemm fuq livell Ewropew kif ukoll dawk nazzjonali, waqt li jkunu mfasslin l-aħjar prattiċi li għandhom ikunu adottati bil-għan li tkompli tkun miġġielda d-diskriminazzjoni u tinkiseb l-ugwaljanza. Apparti l-Konferenza, sejrin jittellgħu rappreżentazzjoni teatrali u wirja fotografika fiċ-Ċentru tal-Kreattività tal-Kavallier ta’ San Ġakbu.

Persuni mill-komunità LGBT Maltija kif ukoll oħrajn interessati fid-drittijiet LGBT interessati li jattendu, jistgħu jiksbu aktar tagħrif u dettalji mis-sit: www.ilga-europe.org.

It-Torċa: Il-ħarsien tad-drittijiet umani tal-persuni LGBT: Politika ta’ żewġ uċuħ

http://www.it-torca.com/news.asp?newsitemid=8593

25.10.9 minn Sammy Sammut

Hawn min jiddeskriviha ‘diplomazija’ iżda ħafna aktar isejħulha politika ta’ żewġ uċuħ dik adottata mill-Gvern Malti fejn jidħlu d-drittijiet umani tal-persuni lesbjani, gay, bisesswali u transesswali (LGBT) f’pajjiżna. Għax waqt li fil-pubbliku jew quddiem il-kameras tat-televiżjoni, speċjalment meta tkun fil-qrib xi elezzjoni, nisimgħu ħafna kontra d-diskriminazzjoni li ħafna għadhom ibatu, bl-unika raġuni tkun l-orjentazzjoni sesswali jew l-identità tal-ġeneru tagħhom, l-istess nies malajr ibiddlu d-diska f’fora internazzjonali, li b’kumbinazzjoni qatt ma jkunu rrapportati fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir tal-iStat.

Prova oħra ta’ din il-verità tal-fatti ngħatat fil-jiem li għaddew, meta membri tal-Malta Gay Rights Movement inġabru quddiem il-bini tal-Parlament fejn qassmu ittra miftuħa lir-rappreżentanti tal-poplu li kienu deħlin għas-seduta par-lamentari biex jiġbdulhom l-attenzjoni tagħhom għad-dis-kriminazzjoni li familji LGBT għadhom isofru minħabba n-nuqqas tar-rikonoxximent legali tas-sħubija bejn persuni tal-istess sess. Familji LGBT jagħmlu parti mill-ħajja ta’ kuljum fl-erbat irjieħ tad-dinja u diversi pajjiżi llum jirrikonoxxu din ir-realtà, tant li ħolqu qafas legali ta’ drittijiet u obbligazzjonijiet li jifformalizzaw ir-relazzjonijiet ta’ familji LGBT. Saħansitra ż-żwieġ issa huwa possibbli għal koppji tal-istess sess fil-Bel-ġju, fi Spanja, fl-Olanda, fil-Ka-nada, fl-Afrika t’Isfel, fin-Norveġja, fl-Isvezja kif ukoll f’għadd ta’ stati fl-Amerka, waqt li f’oħrajn jeżisti rikonoxximent ta’ forom oħrajn ta’ sħubija ċivili bejn koppji simili. Għadhom diskriminati Minkejja dan kollu, jekk ma jagħżlux jew ikunu kostretti li jeżiljaw ruħhom, il-familji LGBT f’pajjiżna għadhom iku-nu ddiskriminati, emarġinati u soċjalment esklużi. U dan kollu qed jitħalla jitkompla minkejja li nafu kemm jistgħu jkunu devastanti l-implikazzjonijiet li wieħed ikollu l-aktar relaz-zjonijiet importanti u intimi tiegħu mal-persuna li jħobb, miżmumin ‘il barra minn qafas ta’ protezzjoni u regolamentazzjoni legali. Fl-ittra tiegħu, li magħha kellha mehmuż id-diskors li kien għamel il-Prim Ministru Spanjol, Josè Luis Rodrìguez Zapatero, meta ressaq għall-approvazzjoni tas-Senat l-ab-bozz ta’ liġi li jemenda l-Kodiċi Ċivili biex koppji tal-istess sess jingħataw id-dritt li jidħlu f’kuntratt taż-żwieġ, il-MGRM appella lid-deputati parlamentari Maltin biex permezz ta’ leġiżlazzjoni adegwata jsewwu l-inġustizzji li għadhom isofru f’pajjiżna familji LGBT b’mod li dawn jibdew ikunu trattati bħal familji tradizzjonali bid-drittijiet u l-obbligazzjonijiet li dan iġib miegħu. Minkejja li preżenti ma kienx hemm il-kameras tal-is-tazzjon statali – għax bħal don-nu li kull attività li ssir b’risq persuni LGBT għall-PBS mhux ta’ min jirrapportaha – id-de-putati parlamentari kollha kie-nu ġentili mal-uffiċjali tal-MGRM. Fost dawn kien hemm il-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi li mhux biss aċċetta l-ittra mogħtija lilu iżda bit-tbis-sima solita tiegħu rringrazzja lill-attivisti tal-MGRM u sa-ħansitra awguralhom għal ħidmithom. F’din l-imġiba tal-Prim Mi-nistru ma kien hemm xejn ħażin, anzi ta’ min ifaħħarha, anke jekk forsi kienet għal wiċċ il-membri tal-midja preżenti. Il-ħażin hu li l-Onor Gonzi naqas milli jinforma lill-istess uffiċjali tal-MGRM li fl-istess ġurnata f’Ġinevra kien qed jiltaqa’ l-Kunsill tal-Ġnus Magħquda għad-Drittijiet Umani fit-tnax-il sessjoni regolari tiegħu, fejn bejn erba’ ħitan u ‘l bogħod mill-għajn, ir-rappreżentanti tiegħu ddik-jaraw diversi drabi li l-gvern Malti mhuwiex lest li jiċċaqlaq mill-pożizzjoni riġida tiegħu, waqt li kienu injorati r-rakko-mandazzjonijiet li saru minn diversi pajjiżi biex Malta tieħu aktar miżuri biex tkun miġ-ġielda d-diskriminazzjoni li għadha qiegħda ssir kontra persuni LGBT minħabba l-or-jentazzjoni sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru tagħhom. Żewġ uċuħ Hija politika taż-żewġ uċuħ dik li fl-istess waqt li l-Prim Ministru jifraħ u jawgura lill-Malta Gay Rights Movement għal ħidmithom b’risq it-tħaris tad-drittijiet umani li għandu jkollhom familji LGBT, ir-rap-preżentanti tiegħu kienu qiegħdin jisħqu fil-Kunsill għad-Drittijiet Umani li għall-gvern Malti “iż-żwieġ jista’ biss isir bejn persuni ta’ sess oppost u li m’hemm l-ebda ħsieb li dan jinbidel”. Il-gvern ta’ Lawrence Gonzi xejn mhu mħasseb bin-nuqqas tat-tħaris tad-drittijiet fundamentali ta’ persuni LGBT għax skont ir-rappreżentanti tiegħu “l-ikbar sfida għal Malta huma l-wasliet bla tmiem ta’ immigranti rregolari”, u l-kuxjenza tiegħu hija nadifa għax “id-diskriminazzjoni bbażata fuq l-identità tal-ġeneru u l-orjentazzjoni sesswali hija llegali u individwi huma protetti kon-tra diskriminazzjoni bħal din bl-istituzzjonijiet imwaqqfin mill-istat.” Iżda dawn id-dikjarazzjonijiet retoriċi donnhom li xejn ma ssodisfaw lil ħafna mill-31 delegazzjoni li ħadu sehem fid-djalogu interattiv li sar fil-Kun-sill għad-Drittijiet Umani tal-Ġnus Magħquda dwar ir-rap-port tal-gvern Malti dwar l-andament tat-tħaris tad-dritti-jiet umani f’pajjiżna. Kienu ħafna l-interventi u r-rakko-mandazzjonijiet li saru, iżda għal-lum se nillimitaw ruħna għal dawk li jolqtu mill-qrib id-drittijiet fundamental tal-persuni LGBT. Fost oħrajn, id-delegazzjoni Franċiża staqsiet xi pjani hemm għat-tisħiħ tal-arranġamenti legali eżistenti kontra d-diskri-minazzjoni bbażata fuq l-orjentazzjoni sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru, partikolarment fl-oqsma tal-edukazzjoni, tas-saħħa u fuq il-post tax-xogħol. Irrakkomandat, fost oħrajn, li jkunu provduti arranġamenti għal koppji tal-istess sess biex igawdu l-istess drittijiet u obbligazzjonijiet gawduti minn koppji ta’ sess oppost. Id-delegazzjoni Maltija wieġbet li l-gvern Malti jħoss li jekk jilleġiżlax jew le biex jir-rikonoxxi r-relazzjoni bejn żewġ persuni, irrispettivament mis-sess tagħhom, għandha tibqa’ materja ta’ kompetenza nazzjonali li tkun deċiża min-nu biss. Rapporti ripetuti Kien hemm ukoll id-dele-gazzjoni Olandiża li waqt li laqgħet l-isforzi ta’ Malta biex tkun miġġielda d-diskriminazzjoni fuq il-bażi tal-or-jentament sesswali, innotat r-rapporti ripetuti dwar diskriminazzjoni kontinwa f’dan ir-rigward, kif ukoll iċ-ċaħda għar-rikonoxximent legali tal-koppji tal-istess sess. Irrakkomandat aktar miżuri għall-avvanz tal-ugwaljanza fuq il-bażi tal-orjentazzjoni sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru, billi fost oħran jintużaw il-prinċipji ta’ Yogyakarta bħala gwida għal politika simili. Ta’ min jgħid li dawn il-prinċipji kienu mfasslin minn esperti internazzjonali tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem fuq l-ap-plikazzjoni tal-liġi internazzjonali dwar id-drittijiet umani fir-rigward tal-orjentazzjoni sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru. Kull wieħed minn dawn il-prinċipji, li llum il-ġurnata jgawdu l-appoġġ ta’ diversi pajjiżi u organizzazzjonijiet internazzjonali bħalma hija l-Ġnus Magħquda, jirrappreżentaw l-abbużi u s-sofferenzi f’termini legali li ħafna għad-hom ibatu minħabba l-orjen-tament sesswali attwali jew maħsub tagħhom. Iżda dwar dan, id-delegaz-zjoni Maltija wieġbet biss li l-gvern Malti mhux lest li juża l-Prinċipji ta’ Yogyakarta sem-pliċiment “għax dawn huma prinċipji li kienu diskussi u adottati minn għadd ta’ esperti li kienu qiegħdin jaġixxu fil-kwalità personali tagħhom.” Edukazzjoni sesswali Kien hemm ukoll delegazzjonijiet ta’ pajjiżi li saħqu fuq il-ħtieġa ta’ politika nazzjonali dwar l-edukazzjoni sesswali għax din hija kruċjali biex iku-nu realizzati d-drittijiet umani; biex Malta jkollha leġiżlazzjoni li tinkorpora l-istrumenti kollha internazzjonali dwar id-drittijiet umani kif ukoll li d-drittijiet tal-bniedem ikunu mgħallmin speċjalment fl-iskejjel; biex isiru sforzi akbar kontra l-persistenza ta’ sterjo-tipi tradizzjonali f’irwoli tal-identità tal-ġeneru; li ssir ħid-ma għal aktar konverġenza bejn il-leġiżlazzjoni nazzjonali u l-istrumenti internazzjonali dwar id-drittijiet umani li Malta tagħmel parti minnhom. Ir-Repubblika Ċeka rrak-komandat lil Malta biex tadot-ta aktar miżuri biex tkun miġ-ġielda d-diskriminazzjoni u għall-promozzjoni – anke per-mezz ta’ kampanji pubbliċi – tat-tħaris tad-drittijiet umani ta’ kull persuna f’minorità fost-hom barranin, refuġjati, per-suni b’diżabilità u persuni LGBT. Fost oħrajn, l-Indja rrak-komandat li waqt li Malta għandha tkompli teżerċita d-dritt sovran fl-implimentazzjoni tal-liġijiet tagħha, hi għandha tagħmel dan b’kon-formità mal-istandards u n-normi internazzjoni tad-drit-tijiet umani. Jidher li kienu biss id-dele-gazzjonijiet tas-Santa Sede u tal-Bangladesh – li kulħadd jaf il-pożizzjoni riġida tagħhom fejn jidħlu d-drittijiet ta’ per-suni LGBT – li faħħru bil-mif-tuħ lill-gvern Malti “għad-di-fiża tiegħu lill-familja bħala l-unit naturali u fundamentali tas-soċjetà bbażata fuq ir-relaz-zjoni stabbli bejn raġel u ma-ra.” Għal dan it-tifħir, id-de-legazzjoni Maltija tenniet li “ż-żwieġ jista’ jkun ikkuntrattwat biss bejn persuni ta’ sess op-post u m’hemm l-ebda pjani biex dan jinbidel.” Xorta għadhom diskriminati... Iżda bħal donnha ma wieġbet xejn għal dak li qalet id-delegazzjoni Belġjana li dwar id-drittijiet tal-persuni LGBT innotat li waqt li teżisti protezzjoni legali fejn jidħol ix-xogħol, dawn il-persuni xorta għadhom ikunu diskriminati fuq il-post tax-xogħol, fl-aċċess ta’ prodotti u servizzi, kif ukoll fl-oqsma tas-saħħa u l-edukazzjoni. Ħeġġet ukoll biex il-Kummissjoni għall-Promozzjoni tal-Ugwaljanza – li bħa-lissa l-orjentament sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru ma jaqgħux taħt ir-remit tagħha – tassigura li tagħti attenzjoni ugwali għal kull forma ta’ diskriminazzjoni, tkun xi tkun ir-raġuni li għaliha ssir. Irrakkomandat ukoll biex Malta tagħmel dak kollu possibbli biex tikkum-batti kull forma ta’ diskriminazzjoni, inkluż dik ibbażata fuq l-orjentazzjoni sesswali. Fl-istess waqt, kienu diversi d-delegazzjonijiet li esprimew tħassib għall-fatt li Malta kie-net ilha snin sħaħ ma tressaq ir-rapporti quddiem il-Kunsill għad-Drittijiet Umani dwar l-andament tad-drittijiet umani f’pajjiżna, bid-delegazzjoni Maltija twieġeb li waqgħet lura f’dan l-obbligu billi kien hemm wisq xi jsir matul il-proċess għas-sħubija ta’ Malta fl-Un-joni Ewropea. Kien sostnut però li “bid-dħul ta’ Malta fl-UE fl-2004, it-tħaris tad-drit-tijiet tal-bniedem f’Malta ssaħ-ħaħ bl-aċċettazzjoni tal-ġuris-dizzjoni tal-istituzzjonijiet tal-Unjoni Ewropea.” Minkejja dan, però, kienu diversi d-delegazzjonijiet bar-ranin li rrakkomandaw li Mal-ta tistudja l-possibbiltà li tistab-bilixxi istituzzjoni naz-zjonali għad-drittijiet umani li tkun akkreditata mill-Kumitat għall-Koordinazzjoni Internazzjonali tal-Istituzzjonijiet Naz-zjonali għall-Protezzjoni u l-Promozzjoni tad-Drittijiet Umani, skont il-Prinċipji ta’ Pariġi. Fit-tweġiba tagħha, id-de-legazzjoni Maltija qalet li fid-dawl tal-għadd ta’ istituzzjonijiet li għandha stabbiliti, Malta ma tħossx il-ħtieġa li jkollha awtorità distinta li tim-monitorja t-tħaris tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem. “Proċeduri ġu-dizzjarji effettivi, huma prefe-ruti minn istituzzjoni għad-drittijiet tal-bniedem,” saħqet id-delegazzjoni waqt li qalet li l-kwistjoni tinżamm “kontin-wament taħt il-lenti.” Apparti mid-delegazzjonijiet ta’ pajjiżi differenti, saru wkoll interventi minn diversi għaqdiet u organizzazzjonijiet mis-soċjetà ċivili, fosthom mill-fergħa Ewropea tal-International Lesbian and Gay Fede-ration (ILGA-Europe) flimkien mal-Canadian HIV/Aids Legal Network u l-Federatie Van Netherlandse Verenigingen Tot Integratie Van Homoseksualiteit Coc Nederland. Rakkomandazzjonijiet Dawn irrakkomandaw fost oħrajn li Malta tadotta aktar miżuri biex tikkumbatti d-dis-kriminazzjoni fuq il-bażi tal-orjentazzjoni sesswali u l-iden-tità tal-ġeneru. B’mod partikolari, huma ħeġġew lil Malta biex tieħu passi konkreti biex tassigura li tkun żviluppata politika li tassigura lill-koppji tal-istess sess it-tgawdija ta’ drittijiet u obbligazzjonijiet indaqs, kif ukoll bidla fl-istatus legali ta’ persuni transesswali, u anke li persuni lesbjani, gay u bisesswali jkollhom aċċess effettiv għal servizzi ta’ pariri dwar is-saħħa. L-istess għaqdiet irrakkomandaw li Malta tinkludi b’mod espliċitu l-orjentament sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru fil-politika dwar is-saħħa ses-swali li qiegħda tkun imfassla, kif ukoll li tinvolvi organizzazzjonijiet tas-soċjetà ċivili fl-iż-vilupp, l-eżekuzzjoni u l-eval-wazzjoni ta’ dawn il-prog-rammi. Dwar dan kollu, it-tweġiba tad-delegazzjoni Maltija kienet li ma kienx hemm aktar x’iżżid ħlief li ttenni l-impenn ta’ Mal-ta għall-promozzjoni u l-pro-tezzjoni tad-drittijiet umani bl-aħjar abbiltà tagħha, u sa fejn tista’ twettaq l-obbligazzjonijiet internazzjonali tagħha. Saret enfasi li jeżistu diversi liġijiet li jikkumbattu d-diskri-minazzjoni iżda qiegħda ssir enfasi fuq it-taħriġ ta’ gruppi u organizzazzjonijiet pubbliċi, privati u volontarji biex kull diskriminazzjoni tintemm. Bejn il-kliem u l-fatti.... Iżda kif jgħid il-Malti: bejn il-kliem u l-fatti hemm baħar jikkumbatti. U l-politika b’żewġ uċuħ li miexi biha l-gvern nazzjonalista fejn jidħlu d-drittijiet tal-persuni lesbjani, gay, bisesswali u transesswali, xejn ma tawgura futur aħjar mill-passat li ssarraf f’tant tbatija u sofferenzi għal ħafna, bl-uniku ‘tort’ li jista’ jkollhom ikun l-orjentament sesswali u l-identità tal-ġeneru tagħhom. Nemmnu li fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu, l-oppożizzjoni laburista tista’ tkun katalista u aktar proattiva billi wara d-dikjarazzjonijiet pubbliċi, inklużi dawk tal-mexxej laburista Joseph Muscat b’difiża għad-drittijiet fundamentali tal-persuni LGBT, toħroġ b’miżuri kon-kreti kif dawn id-drittijiet umani jistgħu jkunu mħarsin u gawduti aktar, kif ukoll għall-inklużjoni ta’ kull persuna fl-iżvilupp tas-soċjetà Maltija rrispettivament mill-orjentament sesswali, l-identità tal-ġeneru jew karatteristiċi oħrajn.

Times: Elderly man gets jail for sexual acts with boy, 17

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091023/local/elderly-man-gets-jail-for-sexual-acts-with-boy-17

Friday, 23rd October 2009

A 62-year-old man has been sentenced to a year in jail after he admitted to performing sexual acts with a 17-year-old boy.

The man, Gilbert D’Ugo, would start by showing the boy pornographic films and then move on to solicit sex from him in return for payment.

The sexual acts took place at least 10 times in 2008 and in previous years.

Magistrate Jacqueline Pado vani described the case as a serious one. But before sentencing Mr D’Ugo, she took into consideration the fact that he had a clean police record and that the boy had “several sexual experiences preceding this case”. Mr D’Ugo has appealed.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

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Times: Man jailed for sexual acts with boy

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091022/local/man-jailed-for-sexual-acts-with-boy
Thursday, 22nd October 2009 - 13:22CET

Gilbert d'Ugo, 62, was today jailed for a year after he admitted to participating in sexual acts with a 17-year- old boy in 2008 and the preceeding years.

In her judgement, Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani said that in this case, it emerged that the man would show the boy a porn film and participate in sexual acts with him. This had happened some 10 times.

The boy had a clean police record but had had sexual experiences before this case.
Sources said the case came to light after the boy was questioned by the police for allegedly abusing a younger person.

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L-Orizzont: Il-premju għall-ġurnalisti 2009 fuq id-diskriminazzjoni u d-diversità: Prosit Victor Vella

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57587

23.10.9

Għat-tielet sena konsekuttiva, il-ġurnali tal-Union Print rebħu l-premju nazzjonali tal-kompetizzjoni “Ngħożżu d-Diversità. Diskriminazzjoni Qatt”, premju organizzat mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea. F’Novembru, ġurija Ewropea se tagħżel wieħed mill-artikli rebbieħa nazzjonali bħala r-rebbieħ tal-kompetizzjoni Ewropea tal-Ġurnalisti. Il-Kap tal-Uffiċċju tar-Rappreżentanza tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea f’Malta, Dr Joanna Drake, ippreżentat iċ-ċertifikat u l-premju lill-ġurnalist Victor Vella fl-Uffiċċju tar-rappreżentanza, fil-Belt Valletta. It-12-il sottomissjoni mibgħutin mill-ġurnalisti Maltin kienu evalwati minn ġurija indipendenti magħmula mill-Konsulent Editorjali Lawrence Grech, milll-korrispondenta u l-Avukat Claire Bonello, mid-Deputat Editur Matthew Vella, minn Lilian Vassallo mill-Uffiċċju tar-Rappreżentanza tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea, u minn Amanda Catania mill-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali għall-Promozzjoni tal-Ugwaljanza.

L-artiklu rebbieħ tal-ġurnalista Victor Vella, kien intitolat “il-vuċi misterjuża li taqliblek ħajtek ta’ taħt fuq”, u kien ippubblikat fil-ġurnal it-Torċa fid-19 ta’ Lulju ta’ din is-sena. Il-ġurija faħħret dan l-artiklu rebbieħ li tratta problema soċjali ‘inviżibbli’ li mhux normali li tissemma’ fil-midja. Il-bord tal-għażla qal ukoll li l-artiklu ta’ Victor Vella jispikka għax hu tajjeb ħafna, hu riċerkat tajjeb u fih laqta emottiva. It-tieni artiklu ta’ Victor Vella intitolat “Tfal u Ommijiet’ ġie fit-tieni post filwaqt li l-artiklu ‘Mill-Iżbarra għal Kordin” ta’ Julia Farrugia ġie fit-tielet post. Il-premju nazzjonali għall-artiklu speċjali fuq in-nies tar-Roma, li din is-sena kien jiffoka fuq ir-rabta bejn il-faqar u d-diskriminazzjoni, ma ngħata lil ħadd. Aktar minn 500 ġurnalist minn madwar l-Unjoni Ewropea bagħtu l-artikli tagħhom miktubin bil-ħsieb li jqajmu kuxjenza fuq id-diskriminazzjoni u d-diversità. F’Novembru, ġurija Ewropea se tagħżel wieħed jew waħda minn fost ir-rebbieħa nazzjonali kollha bħala r-rebbieħa jew ir-rebbieħa tal-kompetizzjoni Ewropea tal-Ġurnalisti. Ir-rebbieħa nazzjonali kollha se jieħdu sehem fit-tieni fażi. Għas-sitt sena konsekuttiva, dan il-premju qed jonora lil dawk il-ġurnalisti li jikkontribwixxu għal għarfien aħjar tal-benefiċċji tad-diversità u għall-ġlieda kontra d-diskriminazzjoni marbuta mar-reliġjon u t-twemmin, mad-diżabilità, mal-età, mal-orjentazzjoni sesswali, mar-razza jew mal-oriġini etnika. Aktar tagħrif fuq din il-kampanja (FDAD) jista’ jinkiseb mis-sit: www.stop-discrimination.info.

L-Orizzont: L-opinjoni ġenerali qiegħda tinbidel

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57578
22.10.9 minn Vincent Marmara, GWU Youths

Fejn qatt konna noħolmu li ż-żgħażagħ Maltin ikunu progressivi dwar ċerti suġġetti u kwistjonijiet li jinħolqu fil-pajjiż. Sa ftit tas-snin ilu kien kważi “dnub” jekk isemmi l-kelma divorzju jew jekk titkellem favur id-drittijiet tal-omosesswali. F’dan il-pajjiż, inħoss li bqajna lura wisq li nitkellmu dwar suġġetti tal-minoranzi jew suġġetti li jkunu qegħdin jeffetwaw b’mod ħażin lin-nies b’mod psikoloġiku u kif ukoll b’mod fattwali. Ftit tal-jiem ilu għadu kif ġie ppublikat stħarriġ ikkum mis sjonat mill-għaqda MOVE. Ħarġu diversi riżultati interessanti, imma li hu żgur hu, li ħareġ ċar ħafna li l-opinjoni taż-żgħażagħ qiegħda tinbidel. Il-maġġoranza assoluta taż-żgħa żagħ fl-Università ta’ Malta taqbel mad-divorzju, li kop pji li jkunu qegħdin jikkoabitaw jiġu rikkonoxuti legal ment u li jidħlu l-‘condom machines’ fl-Università. Dan filwaqt li l-maġġoranza jaqblu mad-dritt taż-żwieġ bejn persuni omoseswali u mal-‘morning after pill’. Ħafna żgħażagħ jixtiequ l-bidla ta’ kif qegħdin jiġu rraġunati u mmexxijin ċerti suġġetti prinċipali fil-pajjiż. M’għadhomx iqisu dak kollu li tgħid il-Knisja bħala “vanġelu” u bħala l-unika triq tajba. Ħafna żgħażagħ jixtiequ li dawn is-suġġetti jibdew jiġu diskussi b’mod aktar loġiku u mhux aktar b’mod spiritwali. Irridu nibdew nirraġunaw u niddiskutu b’mod li nħossu verament dak li jixtiequ n-nies. Huwa vera li dak li jixtiequ n-nies mhuwiex dejjem it-tajjeb, imma suġġetti bħal dawn il-każi huwa differenti. Dawn huma suġġetti li jolqtu b’mod dirett il-ħajja tan-nies, huma suġ ġetti fejn jolqtu b’mod ħaj il-problemi soċjali li jiltaqgħu magħhom in-nies. Huwa vera li wieħed irid joqgħod attent li ma jkunx hemm abbużi meta jidħlu l-liġijiet imma b’hekk importanti li jkollna gvern serju li joħloq liġijiet ippjanati b’mod tajjeb ħafna biex tevita abbużi fil-liġijiet. Nemmen li l-estremitajiet qatt mhuma tajbin u b’hekk ma nistgħux nibqgħu nżommu lura milli niddiskutu dawn is-suġġetti fil-pajjiż. Ma naqbilx li dawn l-affarijiet imsemmijin hawn fuq ma jidħlux fis-sistema Maltija u fl-istess ħin ma naqbilx li jinfetħu l-affarijiet beraħ b’mod li kulħadd jispiċċa jagħmel li jrid b’konsegwenza li nibnu kultura fejn kollox huwa xorta. Meta niftħu l-bieb b’mod legali u strutturat għal dawn is-suġġetti nkunu qegħdin niftħu l-bieb għal aktar inklussività fil-poplu tagħna. Inkunu qegħdin nagħmlu aktar nies iħossuhom komdi li jgħixu f’dan il-pajjiż għax verament ikollna sistema fejn tittratta lil kulħadd bl-istess mod. Gvern m’għandux ikun hemmhekk biss għal dawk li jimxu skont kif tgħid il-Knisja, imma gvern irid ikun hemm għal kulħadd u b’hekk kulħadd jrid jkollu l-istess drittijiet. Inħossni kunfidenti li l-loġi ka se tkun qiegħda tirrenja aktar f’dan il-pajjiż. Liġijiet bħal dawn għandhom ikunu ippjanti b’mod li min irid jimxi mall-progressività jista’ jimxi b’mod liberu u min irid jimxi b’mod konservattiv jista’ jgħix b’mod liberu wkoll. Is-soċjetà għandha tkun mibnija fuq inklussività komuni bejn kulħadd.

IHEU: Gay Humanists Warn: "Vatican and Italian government will have blood on their hands".

International Humaist Ethical Union (IHEU)

http://www.iheu.org/gay-humanists-warn-vatican-and-italian-government-will-have-blood-their-hands

Submitted by Matt on 21 October, 2009 - 18:50.

• Italy
• United Kingdom
• Partner news
• Sexual orientation

The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) strongly supports the demonstrations held in Rome last weekend, 18th October, 2009,protesting against the refusal of the Italian Parliament to pass laws protecting people physically victimised because of their sexual orientation.

The bill, which aimed to provide a deterrent against the growing number of "hate crimes" across Italy , especially against LGBT people, was voted out by an "unholy alliance" of Right Wing and Left Wing politicians, with the strong support of the Catholic Church.

As well as acting to torpedo this bill, the Vatican, has been a key player in denying gay Italian citizens other rights, such as the right to marriage or civil partnerships, that are rapidly becoming the norm elsewhere in Western Europe.

MPs rejecting the bill argued that it would give "special rights" to gay people, violating the Italian constitution which requires equality for all. More bizarrely, and inconsistently, it was claimed that it would also offer protection to tendencies such as paedophilia, zoophilia, necrophilia and incest.

In response, on Sunday 18th October, protestors organised "Flash Mobs" in several key locations in Rome, acting out their own "deaths" and wearing pink triangles, to hammer home the message sent out by Parliament, that violence against gay people is not an especially urgent issue. The clear message was that, in the event of any more attacks targeting gay people, the Italian Parliament and Government will have "blood on their hands".

GALHA Secretary David Christmas commented:

"We congratulate the Italians on the stand they are taking against their government and Parliament's refusal to act to protect its gay and lesbian citizens.

"The suggestion that the bill would give gay people "special rights" is morally offensive, since gay victims of hate crime are already being singled out for "special treatment" by their attackers. The objection is also intellectually fatuous as the law would also protect straight people targeted for their sexuality. The fact that there are few if any instances of people attacked for being heterosexual is hardly a criticism to be made against gay people.

"The second objection, which directly contradicts the first – suggests that you can't protect gay people without at the same time protecting perversions like zoophilia. This- is of course deeply insulting not just to gay people, but to the intelligence and common senses of those applying the law, especially as this has not been a real issue where similar laws have been introduced in other countries. Are they really suggesting that their own lawyers and judges are more stupid than those elsewhere in the world?

"The key role of the Vatican in this, also confirms that voicing its disapproval against gay people is more important than physically protecting their lives.

"We call on the Italian Government and Parliament to reverse this shameful decision, and to respect the memory of some of the greatest people in history who have been gay Italians, from Leonardo da Vinci to Michelangelo.

"We also call on European institutions and other EU Governments to apply all possible pressure on Italy to grant full equality and protection to all of its citizens.

"And we call on the many decent Roman Catholics, both in Italy and elsewhere, to make clear to the Vatican that they do not support its continued vendetta against gay people.

"If the Vatican and the Italian Parliament continue to block Anti-Hate Laws, then both will have blood on their hands.

"This outrage provides yet another reason to object to honouring the Pope with a lavish state reception in the UK, as proposed by Gordon Brown with the support of David Cameron."

Andrea Maccarrone, president of the Rome based Gay Association Circolo Mario Mieli said:
"We welcome GALHA's support in this vital struggle, which involves all European citizens, not just Italians."

Photos of the demonstrations are also available from

A brief video of the demo is also available on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4GXFQiVhLI

END

Note to Editors:

GALHA provides a voice for the many non-religious members of the LGBT community in
the United Kingdom and elsewhere and promotes a rational approach to LGBT
Rights as human rights. For its 30th Anniversary in 2009 GALHA is holding a
series of special public meetings and events including an exhibition of its
work in Central London.

www.galha.org

Trackback URL for this post:

http://www.iheu.org/trackback/3748

Illum: Labour aktar Roża milli Aħmar

http://www.illum.com.mt/2009/10/18/t1.html

18.10.9

It-tibdiliet li qed isiru fil-Partit Laburista qed iwasslu biex il-Partit jitlef l-identità tradizzjonali tiegħu. Dan sostnewh delegati li tkellmu ma’ din il-gazzetta. Tliet deċiżjonijiet riċenti huma kkunsidrati bħala s-sisien ta’ dan. L-ewwel hi l-wasla ta’ Marisa Micallef (Leyson) u l-involviment tagħha fil-Media Group tal-Partit Laburista. Imbagħad hemm id-deċiżjoni ta’ Joseph Muscat li jagħżel lill-avukat żagħżugħ Edward Zammit Lewis bħala s-Segretarju Ġenerali l-ġdid. U fl-aħħar id-deċiżjoni politika biex il-PL jersaq aktar viċin il-lobby tal-persuni gay. Dawn kollha huma parti mir-riċetta ta’ Muscat biex jirbaħ l-Elezzjoni Ġenerali minkejja li l-ingredjenti jirritaw lill-għeruq ħarxa tal-Partit.

Illum: Sal-aħħar tas-sena LGBT Labour

http://www.illum.com.mt/2009/10/18/t3.html

18.10.9 minn Albert Gauci Cunningham

“Fl-aħħar elezzjoni vvutajt PN. Illum ma rrid nassoċja ruħi bl-ebda mod ma’ dak il-partit” – Albert Gauci Cunningham Grupp ta’ żgħażagħ li bħalissa qed jaħdmu minn wara l-kwinti se jkunu qed iħabbru fergħa ġdida u organizzata tal-gays taħt il-kappa tal-Partit Laburista.

Dan il-grupp se jħabbar uffiċjalment il-ħidma tiegħu sal-aħħar ta’ Diċembru li ġej u se jimla vojt li s’issa tħalla fil-kamp politiku hekk kif sal-lum l-ebda partit ma rrikonoxxa uffiċjalment il-persuni LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender). Fuq quddiem nett fuq LGBT Labour hemm Albert Gauci Cunningham, għalliem ta’ 26 sena li sa ftit xhur ilu kien iqis lilu nnifsu Nazzjonalist.

“Jien qatt ma kont membru tal-PN imma kont nikteb favur tiegħu bil-kitbiet regolari fit-Times u l-Independent. Fl-aħħar elezzjoni vvutajt lill-Partit Nazzjonalista imma llum ma rrid nassoċja ruħi bl-ebda mod mal-PN,” jistqarr iż-żgħażugħ f’kummenti lil Illum. “Il-prime mover wara LGBT Labour hu l-mexxej tal-PL Joseph Muscat. Kien hu li mar fuq żewġ kollegi tiegħi. Inħossuna komdi naħdmu fil-Partit Laburista. Dan kien l-ewwel partit li qed jitkellem favur id-drittijiet tagħna fil-miftuħ,” ifisser Gauci Cunningham.

Bħalissa eluf ta’ persuni LGBT qed ikunu avviċinati u mitluba jressqu l-ilmenti tagħhom dwar is-settur. Fost dawn anke persuni fil-media li huma gay.

“Nikkonferma li qed inħejju rapport b’opinjonijiet differenti ta’ persuni LGBT. Dan ir-rapport se nressquh quddiem it-tmexxija tal-PL u quddiem il-konferenza ġenerali,” spjega ż-żgħażugħ. “Joseph Muscat kien l-ewwel bniedem li fil-kampanja tal-elezzjonijiet għall-Parlament Ewropew ħa pożizzjoni ċara favur civil partnership.”

Aktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa l-programm Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ fuq ONE TV tkellem ċar u tond dwar is-sitwazzjoni tal-LGBT f’Malta. F’Malta hu stmat li hawn bejn 25,000 u 40,000 persuna gay. Mitluba tgħid jekk il-Malta Gay Rights Movement jikkunsidrax li jwaqqaf partit politiku għalih, Gabi Calleja, ko-ordinatur tal-moviment qalet li m’hemm l-ebda ħsieb li jsir dan. Mistoqsija liema partit tħoss li hu eqreb id-drittijiet tal-persuni LGBT Calleja ddikjarat li “il-Partit Nazzjonalista ilu ħafna fil-Gvern u ma tantx kien hemm bidliet legali. Kien hemm opportunità u din ma ħaduhiex.”

MaltaToday: When Daddy president knows best

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/18/joseph.html
18.10.9 by Joseph Carmel Chetcuti

When traditionalists speak about marriage and the family, they invariably ignore many significant features of these institutions. To state the obvious, marriage is multi-dimensional: it is, amongst others, a contract, a ceremony, an event and, to some but not all Christians, a sacrament.

Marriage as we know it today in Malta and many European countries has had a varied and chequered history. You would have to be historically naïve and mentally challenged to think that today’s traditional marriages have not undergone significant change. Roman men could dissolve marriage at any time. That was their privilege as men, a privilege not extended to women. Before the Justinian Code (527-565), a simple statement that you were married was the only requirement. Catholic marriage celebrated at a Catholic Church before a priest and two witnesses was enforced in 1563 by the Council of Trent. Across Europe, marriages only became a religious event during the eighteenth century.

But traditionalists have a habit of overlooking what does not fit nicely into their view of the world. They are quite discriminating, taking in only those aspects of history that do not disrupt their take on tradition.

Let’s clear the air. Most gay men and lesbians have nothing against marriage, or the family, or the strengthening of the union between a man and a woman and – where relevant – providing necessary governmental and non-governmental support to the couple’s offspring. Most accept that marriage is an important institution to the individuals, their offspring and society … their admiration for this institution may go some way towards explaining why some gay men and lesbians have a desire to marry. Incidentally, many gay and lesbian activists of the 1970s would have been appalled at such a prospect. Many had been pressured into marrying a person of the opposite gender or forced to resist such pressures. Not a few had been picked on, bullied, violated and persecuted on account of their sexual orientation and within the confines of what some think is a venerable institution.

Traditional marriage is in a constant state of flux. What matters nowadays is what’s in the heart and mind not what one has between the legs. Forget all the nonsense about the father being head of the family. Forget about different roles being assigned to the husband and the wife and talk of the principle of complimentarity. Forget about parents ordering their children how they should lead their lives. Forget about children not having rights. Those days of old have long been cast into the dustbin of history.

So it is with some dismay that I read the opening address of Malta’s President on 6 October, 2009. Why, I wondered, is he taking us for fools?

Marriage and the family

The President set himself the unenviable task of identifying what he called “the exact meaning of marriage”. So I waited with baited breath for this presidential revelation. He spotted the clue in a United Nations document (UN Declaration of Human Rights) which led him to conclude that “marriage does not mean relationships which involve two men or two women or a variety of other possibilities.”

This raises the significant legal problem of how to interpret international documents. Do you adopt an activist approach or stick to a strict construction of the original text? A strictly textual interpretation of any international document that ignores today’s world is unlikely to be of any public benefit. Those who drafted the UN Declaration of Human Rights had no idea of the gains to be attained decades later by gay men and lesbians. Any interpretation of any international document has to be interpreted within today’s context. After all, does not Article 1 of the Declaration state that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights? Should not subsequent provisions in the Declaration be interpreted against the general principles of the preamble?

Even so, I am left wondering what to do with polygamous marriages that are legally recognised, under civil law, in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, UAE, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia?

Or how to deal with polygamous marriages that are recognised under customary law as is the case with Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Liberia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe?

Or what to make of same-sex marriages that are legally recognised in Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain and Sweden?

Perhaps the President of Malta knows best and he should discard these unions as not complying with the exact meaning of marriage and the family.

What research?

Other droplets of wisdom are thrown in for good measure. Take, for instance, the President’s claim to which he offers no proof that there is less substance abuse, crime, poverty and welfare dependence among young people in married parent families. Quite undaunted, he goes on to assert that “studies have constantly shown that children raised outside marriage suffer disproportionately from physical and mental illness and that they are more likely to drop out of school, abuse drugs or alcohol, engage in or suffer from violence and less likely to attend higher educational institutions.”

What absolute twaddle! What an insult to single parent Maltese families! What a middle class approach in linking good parenthood with higher education!

Is the President seriously putting forward that the children of a middle-class, educated but single parent are more prone to physical and mental illness than children of a poorly educated and badly disadvantaged heterosexual couple! Where is the evidence, Mr President?

Having two bob each way?

The President makes an astonishing somersault. After embarking on the task of isolating the exact meaning and definition of marriage and the family, he rapidly switches his attention to traditional marriage and the traditional family. How this variety of marriage and the family differ from the “exact meaning” of marriage and the family is not all that clear.
What is intriguing is the President’s apparent conclusion that traditional marriage and the traditional family “no longer exist”. The traditional family in Malta, he points out, goes beyond the nuclear family to take in the extended family. In an effort to dig himself out of a hole, he poses an interesting question: whether the term family should be solely applied to a situation where the parents are “officially married”. But the President is eager to avoid political controversy (as if he has not done a good job of it already). He says he does not wish to pre-empt discussion on the topic because his office of president precludes him from entering into the political foray. I wonder whether the office of president also precludes him from standing up for the rights of minorities in Malta including those of gay men and lesbians!

How we change the law
The prospect of the current Maltese government doing anything about gay and lesbian rights is remote. We are tired of Nationalist Party rhetoric that delivers nothing. Gay marriage in Malta is as remote a prospect as having an atheist installed as Malta’s Catholic archbishop. But Maltese society has changed, is changing and will continue to change. It is a pity that many of Malta’s mediocre parliamentarians are behind the eighth ball. Governments of whatever political persuasion will continue to trail behind public opinion because they are devoid of leadership material. So why not take the law into our hands and devise our marriage tradition? Why not draw up binding legal contracts between same-sex couples? Why not make our commitments public? The State will in due course be forced to catch up.
I have to say I was not as annoyed by the President’s speech as some other Maltese gay and lesbian activists. What really appalled me was that the speech was so illogical, so poorly written, so poorly thought out and so ahistorical. That it was an address to the Cana Movement is no excuse for peddling prejudice under the cover of illusory research. I hope it attracts a limited international audience as otherwise we are all so more poorer.

Chetcuti is the author of Il-Ktieb Roza: Dnub, Dizordni u Delitt? (1997) and Queer Mediterranean Memories: Penetrating the Secret History and Silence of Gay and Lesbian Disguise in the Maltese archipelago (2009).

Independent: That wonderful word ‘progressive’

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=95762
18.10.9 by Dr Josie Muscat, leader of Azzioni Nazzjonali

[Excerpt of the article.]

...

The question therefore is whether social democrats can return to their old ways, to that idea that Yelstin described had no place to go to.

Well, that is for social democrats to answer. But one can now see the reason behind the PL’s adoption of “progressive”. At the moment it is simply an appeal to attract to the Labour fold those who want divorce; those who are in a state of cohabitation; the gay community thirsting to apply the word “wedding” to their union; and anybody else with a grudge, real or imagined.

...

MaltaToday: The thin Green line

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/18/interview.html
18.10.9 by Raphael Vassallo

It’s official: MICHAEL BRIGUGLIO will contest the post of AD chairman later this month. But how long will the Green Party remain ‘Green’, if taken over by a self-styled left-wing radical activist?

[Excerpt of the article.]

Once again, divorce is Briguglio’s example of choice. “Joseph Muscat is asserting himself as a progressive liberal, but what is he saying exactly by giving a free vote? ‘I myself am in favour in divorce, but I want to let my MPs decide for themselves’. Again, I admire him for his own views, but at the same time he doesn’t have the courage to take a clear stand. Is this the extent of his political strength? The same is true of other issues, like gay rights. Both Labour and PN now claim to champion gay rights, but what have they done in practice?”

...

Telegraph: Bosnia-Herzegovina football coach orders players to kiss each other on the lips

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6346472/Bosnia-Herzegovina-football-coach-orders-players-to-kiss-each-other-on-the-lips.html

16.10.9

The coach of the Bosnia-Herzegovina national football team has ordered players to kiss each other on the lips in order to create a special bond between team mates.

Bosnia's head coach Miroslav Blazevic Photo: REUTERS

Miroslav Ciro Blazevic - who has Portsmouth star Asmir Begovic in his squad - said: "I take two of my players and tell them, 'Love him! Kiss him!' and he kisses him."

He claimed the unorthodox morale-boosting exercise has already proven successful: Mr Blazevic has taken the squad further than ever before in the World Cup.

"The secret of my success is in a unity of a squad. You can't do anything without an atmosphere in a team," he explained."They I tell them they have to kiss each other straight to the lips," the coach wrote in his column in Croatian news website net.hr.

His revelation came after Vincenzo Santoruvo, the Italian striker, amazed fans by planting a kiss on a team mate's lips after scoring for Serie B club Frosinone.

Peter Tatchell: The global struggle for queer freedom

http://www.petertatchell.net/international/global-struggle-for-queer-freedom.html
[Peter Tatchell is a gay-rights activist and member of the British Green Party.]

Caroline Benn Memorial Lecture 2009

13.10.9 By Peter Tatchell

Most of the world is still living in the homophobic dark ages, but LGBT people are defiant and making gains.

Delivered 13 October 2009 at Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln, UK

It is a very great honour, and joy, to deliver the Caroline Benn Memorial Lecture 2009. Caroline was a friend and comrade. I remember her with much affection. She left us with a fine humanitarian legacy as a leading advocate of comprehensive education and better educational opportunities. She also lives on, in spirit, through her inspiring, passionate support for socialism, trade union rights, women’s equality and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) freedom. She was a true progressive, who dedicated her life, with much honour and nobility, to the upliftment of humanity. I am very proud to have known Caroline, and salute her life and work with this lecture.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have made great progress in Britain, especially in the last decade. But in large parts of the world, homophobic and transphobic oppression remains rife.

Take Jamaica, a country with which Britain has close ties. It is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the Commonwealth. It is not a police-state dictatorship. Yet male homosexuality is criminalised and punishable with up to 10 years hard labour. Homophobic discrimination and violence is endemic and the government refuses to take any serious action to protect LGBT Jamaicans.

One of my Jamaican colleagues was the AIDS educator and gay rights activist, Steve Harvey. He was a trail-blazer for LGBT people and especially for people with HIV. In late 2005, a gang burst into his home, kidnapped him, took him to a remote place and shot him dead in an execution-style killing.

Soon afterwards, Nokia Cowen drowned when he jumped into Kingston harbour to escape a violent homophobic mob that had chased him through town. A few weeks later, Jamaica’s trade ambassador, Peter King, was found dead with his throat slashed and multiple stab wounds. Then there was the gruesome discovery of the mutilated bodies of two lesbians, who were found dumped in a septic pit behind the house they shared. All these horrific, homophobic killings happened just weeks apart.

Only this summer, John Terry, the British consul in Jamaica, was brutally mudered in his own home by a killer who left a note abusing him as a “batty man” (Jamaican patois slang for faggot), and warning that the same fate would happen to “all gays.”

Homophobic violence is routine in Jamaica, according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. LGBT victims of hate crimes seldom get justice. Police sometimes ignore anti-gay attacks and some officers have been known to abuse, threaten, beat and arrest gay-bashing victims. The perpetrators of homophobic violence are rarely put on trial and convicted.

What is happening in Jamaica is symptomatic of a much wider homophobic persecution.

Around 80 countries continue to outlaw homosexuality, with penalties ranging from one year’s jail to life imprisonment. Just under half these countries are former British colonies and current members of the Commonwealth – a community of nations supposedly committed to uphold democracy and human rights. The anti-gay laws in these Commonwealth nations were originally legislated by the British government in the nineteenth century during the period of colonial rule. They were never repealed when these nations won their independence from Britain.

As well as homophobic laws, British imperalism imposed homophobic prejudice, by means of the fire and brimstone Christian fundamentalist missionaries who sought to “civilise” the so-called “heathen” peoples of the colonies. Some civilisation! The British conquerers instilled in these countries a homophobic hatred that lives on to this day, which is wrecking the lives of LGBT people.

Homophobia is particularly extreme in the Islamist states that impose the death penalty for same-sex relations, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mauritania, Sudan and the Yemen. In some regions of other countries, such as Nigeria and Pakistan, Sharia law is enforced and lesbians and gays can be stoned to death.

Amid this gloom, last December something truly remarkable and historic happened. Sixty-six countries signed a United Nations’ statement calling for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality and condemning homophobic discrimination and violence. This was the first time the UN General Assembly had addressed the issue of LGBT human rights. Previously, all resolutions that attempted to get UN committees to endorse LGBT equality had been blocked by an unholy alliance of the Vatican and Islamic states.

Despite this breakthrough statement, even today no international human rights convention specifically acknowledges sexual rights as human rights. None explicitly guarantee equality and non-discrimination to LGBT people. The right to love a person of one’s choice is absent from global humanitatrian statutes. Relationships between partners of the same sex are not officially recognised in any international law. There is nothing in the many UN conventions that concretely guarantees LGBT equality and prohibits homophobic discrimination

Nor are specific LGBT rights and protections included within the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It is only in the last decade or so that the ECHR’s equality and privacy clauses been interpreted to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

In the late 1990s, British LGBT citizens filed appeals at the European Court of Human Rights, against the UK’s then discriminatory, homophobic laws. They cited the ECHR’s right-to-privacy and anti-discrimination clauses to successfully challenge centuries-old anti-gay UK legislation. These victories at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg forced the British government to repeal the unequal age of consent for gay men, discriminatory sexual offences laws and the ban on lesbians and gays serving in the armed forces.

ECHR judgments also successfully pressured Romania and Cyprus to decriminalise homosexuality. The ECHR has thus played an important role in challenging and overturning homophobic legislation.

Of the 192 member states of the UN, only a handful have repealed all major legal inequalities against LGBT people: including the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Canada, New Zealand and, more recently, the UK.

Britain’s record was not always so positive. In the 1980s, the UK had a greater number of homophobic laws than the then communist-ruled Soviet Union. Nowadays, we are one of the most progressive European countries. We’ve gone from zero to hero in a mere decade.

In large parts of the world, however, homophobia is still rampant. Hundreds of millions of LGBT people are forced to hide their sexuality; fearing ostracism, harassment, discrimination, imprisonment, torture and even murder.

Some of this violence is perpetrated by vigilantes, including right-wing death squads in countries like Mexico and Brazil. They justify the killing of queers as “social cleansing.”
Other homophobic persecution is officially encouraged and enforced by governments, police, courts, media and religious leaders.

This persecution is happening even in Europe and the US. In echoes of Margaret Thatcher’s notorious Section 28, Lithuania has just passed a new law banning the so-called “promotion” of homosexuality. The US maintains a federal ban on same-sex marriage and openly LGBT people are not allowed to serve in the armed forces.

Homophobic injustice is rife in much of Africa. Cameroonian gay men have been arrested and jailed in the last year, without any clear evidence that they had same-sex relations.

In Nigeria, in 2005, six teenage lesbians, one only 12 years old, were ordered to be punished with an agonising 90 lashes for consensual same-sex relations. Last year, a Nigerian gay pastor and another Christian gay activist were forced to flee the country after threats to kill them.

In Nepal, there is a long, sad history of transgender people being regularly beaten, raped, arrested and detained without trial.

Government ministers in Namibia, echoing the homo-hatred of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, have denounced lesbians and gays as unAfrican, as traitors and as spreaders of HIV/AIDS.

In the new post-Saddam Hussein “democratic” Iraq, the rise of Islamist fundamentalism has led to the creeping, de facto imposition of Sharia law, with deadly consequences for LGBTs - and for women who refuse to be veiled. Iraqis who murder LGBT people to defend the “honour” of their family escape punishment. The US and UK-backed Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a fatwa calling for the execution of lesbians and gays in the “worst, most severe way possible.” Islamist death squads of the Badr and Sadr militias are assassinating LGBT people in their homes and streets, with impunity.

Russian religious leaders have united to orchestrate a campaign of hatred against the LGBT community. The Orthodox Church has denounced homosexuality as a "sin which destroys human beings and condemns them to a spiritual death." The Chief Mufti of Russia’s Muslims, Talgat Tajuddin, says gay campaigners “should be bashed…Sexual minorities have no rights, because they have crossed the line. Alternative sexuality is a crime against God.” Russian Chief Rabbi, Berl Lazar, has condemned gay pride parades as “a blow for morality," adding that there is no right to “sexual perversions."

The Mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov, has denounced gay people as “satanic.” He has repeatedly banned Gay Pride marches. This violates Russia’s constitution and law, which guarantee freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest. LGBT people who have attempted to march have been violently arrested.

The Iranian persecution of LGBTs continues unabated. Twenty-two year old Amir was entrapped by via a gay dating website. The person he arranged to meet turned out to be a member of the morality police. Amir was jailed, tortured and sentenced to 100 lashes, which caused him to lose consciousness and left his whole back covered in huge bloody welts. He is just one of many Iranian LGBTs who have been subjected to lashings, torture, imprisonment and, sometimes, execution.

The western-backed regime in Saudi Arabia retains the death penalty - usually beheading - for homosexuality. In early 2006, its neighbour, the United Arab Emirates, imposed six years jail on 11 gay men arrested at a private party. They were not imprisoned for sexual acts, but merely for being gay and attending a gay social gathering.

The election of a right-wing, Catholic fundamentalist government in Poland in 2005 resulted in the abolition of the government office for combating discrimination against women and LGBTs. The same year, the Mayor of Poznan banned the Gay Pride parade. LGBT people marched anyway. Over 60 were arrested. Many more were injured after the police failed to protect them from the violence of far right counter-protesters.

Uganda is gripped by the state-sponsored victimisation of LGBT people. Typical is the fate of gay rights activist Kizza Musinguzi. He was jailed in 2004 and subjected to four months of forced labour, water torture, beatings and rape. Another gay Ugandan, Isaac K, narrowly escaped an attempted summary execution by a homophobic mob acting with the connivance of local government officials.

Those who speak out against anti-gay violence risk dire consequences. Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo was dismissed by the Church of Uganda for defending the human rights of LGBT people.

In recent years, the Ugandan government has passed a law banning same-sex marriage, fined Radio Simba for broadcasting a discussion of LGBT issues, and expelled a UN AIDS agency director for meeting with gay activists.

LGBT people have nevertheless made huge strides forward in many parts of the world. A mere four decades ago, “queers” were almost universally seen as mad, bad and sad. Same-sex relations were deemed a sin, a crime and a sickness. It was in only 1991 that the World Health Organisation declassified homosexuality as an illness, and that Amnesty International agreed to campaign for LGBT human rights and to adopt jailed LGBTs as prisoners of conscience.

Nowadays, the global tide is shifting in favour of LGBT emanicipation. An out gay man and LGBT activist, Sunil Pant, was elected to the parliament of Nepal in the post-monarchy elections. In 1999, Georgina Beyer took office in New Zealand, becoming the world’s first openly transgender MP. Uruguay, formerly a military dictatorship, this summer lifted its prohibition on gay servicemen and women. The Lebanon has made history by becoming the first Arab Middle East nation to allow the open, legal establishment of an LGBT welfare and human rights group, Helem.

While fundamentalist religion is still a major threat to LGBT equality, we also have our allies in many faiths. The anti-aparheid hero, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has compared homophobia to racism, and described the battle for LGBT freedom as the moral equivalent of the fight against apartheid.

Six countries now outlaw sexual orientation discrimination in their constitutions: South Africa (1996), Fiji (1997), Ecuador (1998), Switzerland (2000), Sweden (2003) and Portugal (2004).

In almost every country on earth, there are LGBT freedom movements - some open, others clandestine.

For the first time ever, countries like the Philippines, Estonia, Lebanon, Columbia, Russia, Sri Lanka, and China are hosting LGBT conferences and Pride celebrations. Via the internet and pop culture, LGBT people in small towns in Ghana, Peru, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Vietnam, St Lucia, Palestine, Fiji and Kenya are connecting with the worldwide LGBT community. The struggle for LGBT liberation has gone global. We’ve begun to roll back the homophobia of centuries. Bravo!

Postscript:

LGBT movements worldwide are urging every government to legislate LGBT equality and human rights and to tackle homophobic and transphobic prejudice, harassment, discriminatiion and violence. These demands include:

1) Decriminalise same-sex relations; in particular, abolish the death penalty and flogging.

2) Allow the formation of LGBT organisations and the advocacy of LGBT human rights; and consult with these organisations and their spokespeople when drafting new laws and policies.

3) Outlaw discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in employment, housing, education, advertising, health-care and the provision of goods and services, such as hotel accommodation and service in bars and restaurants.

4) Establish an equal age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual acts.

5) Grant legal recognition and rights to same-sex partners; either via civil marriage or civil partnerships / civil unions.

6) Teach gay-inclusive sex and civic education in schools, in order to challenge homophobia and promote understanding and acceptance of LGBT people.

7) Crackdown on homophobic hate crimes, to protect LGBTs from hate-motivated violence.

8) Revise all laws to make them sexuality-neutral, so there is no legislative differentiation between heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality, and so that heterosexual, lesbian, gay and bisexual people have the same rights and responsibilities in law.

9) Provide access for same-sex couples to fertility treatment and give them the right to foster and adopt children.

10) Offer gay-inclusive HIV education and prevention campaigns, non-discriminatory HIV care and support services, and LGBT access to free or low-cost condoms.

Onward, upward and forward to queer liberation worldwide.
* Peter Tatchell has campaigned for LGBT human rights for over 40 years. For more information about his campaigns and to make a donation: www.petertatchell.net

Click here to return to the International Index

Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ: Gaby Calleja, Malta Gay Rights Movement

Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ: TVM 12.10.9: Julia Farrugia tintervista lil Gaby Calleja, MGRM

Open the following link with media player or real player:

mms://wms.di-ve.com/ONE/WiccImbWicc/091012.wmv


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DI-VE.com: Julia Farrugia Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ with Gabi Calleja

http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=71&Action=1&NewsId=64879&currentPage=2

Tonight Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ delves into gay rights issues.

Quizzed by Julia Farrugia Gabi Calleja, co-ordinator of the Malta Gay Rights Movement, answers the most intriguing questions.

Which political party is more likely to favour gay issues? With more than 22,000 gay people in Malta, is it high time that a new political gay-friendly party is set up?

Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ is produced by 24seven Media. Research by Tonio Bonello.

Previous editions of Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ can be viewed through di-ve.com’s on-demand media library.

L-Orizzont: L-Universitarji favur il-kondoms, il-koabitazzjoni u d-divorzju

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57406

15.10.9 minn Victor Vella

“Irridu magna tal-kondom fl-Università għax din turi l-bżonn li ssir distinzjoni bejn il-Knisja u l-Università,” tgħid Gaby Scicluna li tirrappreżenta lill-Assoċjazzjoni tal-Istudenti tal-Mediċina. Studenti oħrajn isostnu li l-kondoms illum issib tixtrihom mis-supermarket u għalhekk ma jaraw xejn ħażin li jkun hemm magna tal-kondoms fl-Università.

Studenti jsostnu li fil-fatt kien hemm diversi kumpaniji li biex ibiegħu l-prodotti tagħhom lill-istudenti jew iwasslu messaġġ, qassmu kondoms bla ħlas.

Mill-banda l-oħra l-istuden- ti msieħba f’organizzazzjonijiet Kattoliċi jsostnu li l-Università tmur biex titgħallem u mhux biex tagħmel is-sess.

Fr Ray Zammit mill-Fakultà tat-Teoloġija enfasizza li mbilli l-maġġoranza tal-istudenti jridu l-kondoms fl-Università, ma jfissirx li din hi deċiżjoni tajba.

F’laqgħa pjuttost taħraq fuq il-Campus tal-Università, ġie diskuss stħarriġ li sar mill-organizzazzjoni MOVE, organizzazzjoni li ddeskriviet lilha nfisha bħala bi prinċipji progressivi. L-għaqda rnexxielha toħloq dibattitu tajjeb ilbieraħ fl-Università, fejn uriet ukoll fejn qed iħabbat il-polz tal-istudenti, b’mod partikolari fuq id-divorzju, il-koabitazzjoni u l-magna tal-kondoms.

Wara d-diskussjoni, ħafna studenti baqgħu jiddibattu bejniethom, fejn fost uħud minn-hom spikka l-argument li l-Knisja m’għandhiex tidħol dwar x’jagħmel individwu fil-ħajja privata tiegħu. B’diversi studenti minn għaqdiet konservattivi preżenti, id-dibattitu kien wieħed sħun. Ma setax jonqos li l-għaqda MOVE tiġi mistoqsija jekk hix xi fergħa tal-Partit Laburista, minħabba l-ideat progressivi.

MOVE għamlitha ċara li hi għaqda indipendenti u m’għan-dhiex x’taqsam mal-Partit Laburista u li jinteressaha hu li tmexxi ’l quddiem ideat progressivi. Fi stħarriġ li sar minn Vincent Marmara, irriżulta li pparteċipaw fih 395 student. Minn dawn kien hemm 42 fil-mija tas-sess maskili u 58 fil-mija tas-sess femminili.

Rigward id-divorzju naraw li 54.9 fil-mija tal-istudenti li ħadu sehem fl-istħarriġ, wieġbu li jaqblu li d-divorzju għandu jidħol f’Malta, 32.7 fil-mija kie-nu kontra d-divorzju waqt li 12.4 fil-mija kienu għadhom indeċiżi. Fejn jidħol l-abort, naraw li hawnhekk is-sitwazzjoni tinqaleb. Kien hemm 78.7 fil-mija li huma kontra l-abort, 14.4 fil-mija li huma favur, waqt li 6.8 fil-mija huma indeċiżi.

L-istħarriġ tratta wkoll iż-żwieġ ċivili għall-persuni omosesswali. Minn dan jirriżulta li 50 fil-mija ta’ dawk li ħadu sehem jaqblu li l-omosesswali għandhom jingħataw id-dritt ċivili li jiżżewġu f’Malta, 35.2 fil-mija huma kontra dan id-dritt, waqt li 16.2 fil-mija huma indeċiżi fuq dan il-każ. Fuq il-koabitazzjoni u r-rikonoxximent tagħha fil-liġi Maltija, l-istudenti Universitarji wrew li 69.9 fil-mija jaqblu ma’ dan. Kien hemm biss 13.4 fil-mija li ma qablux waqt li 16.7 fil-mija kienu indeċiżi.

Fil-kwistjoni tal-magna tal-kondoms fl-Università naraw li maġġoranza qawwija tal-istudenti jaqblu li din tkun introdotta. Fil-fatt 70.6 fil-mija qalu li jaqblu li jkun hemm magna tal-kondoms, waqt li 18.2 fil-mija qalu li huma kontra u 11.1 fil-mija ma kellhomx pożizzjoni. Jidher li fost l-istudenti tas-sess maskili kien hemm persentaġġ ogħla ta’ qbil. Anke fuq il-‘morning after pill’ naraw li 49.1 fil-mija tal-istudenti Universitarji qegħdin jaqblu waqt li 35.9 fil-mija ma jaqblux. 14.9 fil-mija huma in-deċiżi. MOVE għamlitha ċara li minkejja li kkummissjonat dan l-istħarriġ ma jfissirx li hi taqbel ma kulma joħroġ minnu. Spjegat li MOVE hi favur l-introduzzjoni tad-divorzju, kontra l-abort, favur li l-koabitazzjoni tkun rikonoxxuta, favur li tiddaħħal magna tal-kondoms u favur li l-omosesswali jingħataw dritt għal żwieġ ċivili.

L-organizzazzjoni MOVE għamlitha ċara li hi se taħdem biex l-istudenti jkollhom magna tal-kondoms fl-Università. Min-naħa tiegħu, Fr Ray Zammit wissa lill-istudenti li l-kon-traċettivi mhumiex mija fil-mija siguri u għalhekk dan se jwassal għal attività sesswali riskjuża.

Independent: Sex and relationships very high on university students’ agendas

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=95647

15.10.9 by Annaliza Borg

University students agree on the introduction of divorce, cohabitation, condom machines on campus, same sex marriages and the legalisation of the morning-after pill, a survey compiled by MOVE, a progressive students' organisation, concluded.

The majority of students on campus, however, oppose abortion and its introduction in Malta.

MOVE believes that students' views and opinions are not well represented in social dialogue. It therefore seeks to encourage more debates among students on political and social issues. A random sample of 395 Maltese university students of different ages and course years was taken.

The long drawn-out issue of having condom machines installed on campus grounds was brought up and 70.6 per cent of students think these are necessary. Nonetheless, 18.2 per cent are against their introduction and 11.1 per cent are undecided.

Again, the absolute majority, 69.9 per cent, believe that cohabitation should be recognised by the law. Only 13.4 disagree while 16.7 are undecided.

When questioned about the introduction of divorce, 54.9 per cent of students expressed their agreement. 32.7 per cent are against it while 12.4 per cent are undecided.

Not as many students agree with the legalisation of the morning-after pill and, while 49.1 per cent of students are in favour of the matter, 35.9 per cent oppose it, and 14.9 per cent are undecided.

Slightly less than 50 per cent of respondents agree that gays and lesbians should be given the right to marry. Meanwhile, 35.2 per cent are against same sex marriages and 16.2 per cent are undecided.

The vast majority of university students – 78.7 per cent – is against the introduction of abortion in Malta. Only 14.4 per cent are in favour of its introduction while 6.8 per cent are undecided.

Little statistical difference was observed between males and females. However, more males are opposed to the introduction of same sex marriages. There is no difference depending on the students’ course year and their opinion.

MOVE said that the data collected may not reflect its views and beliefs, yet these opinions will serve as a platform for the necessary discussion on campus.

The survey was conducted by Vincent Marmara, president of the Malta Statistics and Operational Research Organisation (MSTOR).

Di-ve: What's on [ILGA Conference in Malta]

http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=111&CalendarEventID=1108

What's on

Start date	10/29/2009 9:30:00 AM
End date	11/1/2009 6:00:00 PM
Title	ILGA-Europe conference (LGBT)
Description	From Thursday, 29 October to Sunday, 1 November the 13th Annual Conference of ILGA-Europe will be held in Malta. The annual conference allows LGBT activists from across Europe to discuss common problems and challenges, in the hope of tackling discrimination and advancing equality and human rights for LGBT people, as well as celebrating achievements and sketching future projects, strategies and tactics. This year’s conference is titled, “Overcoming Religious and Cultural Barriers to LGBT Equality”. Speakers include; Ulrike Lunacek, Member of the European Parliament, Vladimir Luxuria, former member of the Italian Parliament and a journalist, Juris Cālītis, pastor of the Anglican Church of Latvia. Francis Agius, head of Maltese delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Frits Huffnagel, Alderman of The Hague City Council. The theme of the conference will be explored through over 30 different workshops covering, religion, culture and European policy, combating hate crimes, asylum and transgender rights. Officials from the European Union, the OSCE, Scottish and Dutch governments and academics from Spain and UK have confirmed their contribution to these workshops. For more information contact juris@ilga-europe.org

Times: 'Majority of students oppose abortion'

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091015/local/majority-of-students-oppose-abortion

Thursday, 15th October 2009 by Christian Peregin

A slight majority of University students, 55 per cent, believe divorce should be introduced, as opposed to 33 per cent who are adamantly against, according to a survey.

Students are also mostly in favour of gay marriage, cohabitation and the morning-after pill but strongly against abortion.

More than 70 per cent of students also agree with installing a condom machine on campus, even though the issue sparked a heated debate during the launch of the "progressive" student organisation MOVE.

During an event entitled Sex for L(a)unch, held at the University quadrangle, some 100 students gathered to hear the study's findings and take part in a debate about sexual health.

MOVE president Godfrey Galea explained his movement supported the introduction of divorce, gay marriage, cohabitation rights and condoms on campus, but disagreed with abortion and was still discussing its position on the morning-after pill.

He said progressives should be courageous enough to discuss issues "our conservative society" has been afraid to face.

"Progressive is when you believe everyone has every right to live freely and equally without discrimination. Progressives believe everyone should have the right to choose and make their own decisions without anyone or anything imposing what should or should not be done. Progressives do not accept the status quo and believe change serves to renew," he said.

Interestingly, female students were more likely to back gay marriage than their male counterparts, even though there was no significant difference in the replies of men and women on the other issues.

During the debate, medical student Gaby Scicluna said the condom machine on campus was not only important to promote safe sex but was a symbol of the distinction that had to be made between the Church and the University, which was a secular education institution.

However, various students, including Luke Cutajar from the University Students Catholic Movement (MKSU), said University was not a place for sex and the distribution of condoms gave the wrong impression to students.

MOVE spokesman Byron Camilleri said it was worrying Malta still had no sexual health policy and that the Church's views on sexual health education did not respect today's realities when on average people lost their virginity at 16.

He complained about those who criticised the distribution of free condoms by Vodafone during Freshers' Week and said this issue had been discussed for 10 years, which was evidently a taboo that still had to be broken.

Meanwhile, theology lecturer Raymond Zammit said just because the majority of students agreed with something did not mean they were right. If the majority were in favour of heroin it did not mean they were right.

Statistician Vincent Marmarà said the scientific survey was carried out during Freshers' Week, where 395 Maltese University students were randomly asked to share their opinion about a number of hot issues.

The survey confirmed the situation as painted by the University Chaplaincy in another recent survey which found similar, if not more controversial findings. In the Chaplaincy's survey, more than a third of University students (37 per cent) had said abortion could sometimes be morally acceptable, and 57 per cent said divorce should be legalised in Malta.

Three-quarters of students said there was nothing wrong with premarital sex and cohabitation should be approved.

Only 15 per cent said artificial contraception was morally wrong.

Research results

Divorce
Yes: 54.9%; No: 32.7%; Don't know: 12.4%

Abortion
Yes: 14.4%; No: 78.7%; Don't know: 6.8%

Gay marriage
Yes: 48.6%; No: 35.2%; Don't know: 16.2%

Cohabitation
Yes: 69.9%; No: 13.4%; Don't know: 16.7%

Morning-after pill
Yes: 49.1%; No: 35.9%; Don't know: 14.9%

Condom machine
Yes: 70.6%; No: 18.2%; Don't know: 11.1%

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times'website.]

Interesting comment on the Times' website:

J Farrugia
Surveys are a sham, they are not veritable. nothing to go by. I know there are idiots at the University but it is just a small fraction of the whole university community. And this small fraction is aided by some of the lecturers etc. So I really am going to sleep soundly knowing that the majority of the UM students are morally sane. remember today's university there are over 10,000 students. So what does this small fraction represent? In a cartel there are always some bad apples. let's just isolate them.

MOVE - Progressive Students’ Survey Report

October 2009

[Excerpt from the report]

Homosexuals and marriage

Slightly less than 50% agree that homosexuals should be given the right to marry in Malta, whilst 35.2% are against homosexuals being given the right to marry and 16.2% are indecisive.

Table: Do you agree that homosexuals should be given the right to marry in Malta?

[Valid replies only.]

For this issue there are different views between females and males. In fact there is a statistical significant difference (p is less than 0.05) between the two genders. The absolute majority of females agree that homosexuals should be given the right to marry (54%), whilst for the males there are 42% which are in favour. There are more males which are against than there are in favour. This result contrasts when it comes to the females.

[Click on the image to enlarge.]

Survey compiled by Vincent Marmarà for ‘MOVE-Progressive Students’.

Mr Maramarà B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. (Statistics) is the President of the Malta Statistics and Operations Research Organization (MSTOR).

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See also:

Times: Half of University students agree with gay marriage - survey

Times: University students in heated debate on sexual health

Times: Half of University students agree with gay marriage - survey

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091013/local/half-of-university-students-agree-with-gay-marriage-survey

Tuesday, 13th October 2009 - 21:05CET

Almost half of University students believe gay marriage should be introduced in Malta, according to a survey conducted by the new student organisation, Move.The group says it represents 'progressive' students.

When asked whether gay marriage should be legalised in Malta, 49 percent said yes, 35 percent said no and 16 percent said they were undecided.

The survey's results, which will be published in more detail tomorrow, are bound to raise a few eyebrows since they paint a picture of a surprisingly liberal student body.

Another recent survey, by the University Chaplaincy, found that the overwhelming majority of students disagreed with the Church's teachings on divorce, artificial contraception and pre-marital sex. The University Chaplaincy's survey did not ask about gay marriage, but found that only 44 per cent of students were against divorce. Three quarters of students said there was nothing wrong with pre-marital sex and that cohabitation should be approved.

Move's survey was carried out during Freshers' Week where around 400 Maltese students were randomly selected to give their opinions on a number of issues, ranging from the morning-after pill to whether condoms should be available on campus.

The results will be discussed in more detail during the launch of Move, as a new student organisation. The launch will be followed by a debate on sexual health issues, also organised by Move, asking "whether the promotion and usage of condoms can help in the decrease of sexually transmitted diseases". It will feature students from the faculties of Theology and Medicine.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

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Times: University students in heated debate on sexual health

14.10.9
[Excerpt from the article.]
...

The Move survey found that 71 percent of students agreed there should be a condom machine at university. 55 percent said they were in favour of divorce, 79 percent expressed themselves against abortion, 49 percent said they agreed with gay marriage and 70 percent were in favour of cohabitation. 49 percent said they were in favour of the morning after pill.

HRC: President Obama Obama Addresses Gay Rights Group [Human Rights Campaign]

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site/Ecard?ecard_id=1061&autologin=true

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYHm0RyCyfU

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsnNyKQoFUk

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUEB6wYucDs

President Barack Obama Addresses Gay Rights Group [Human Rights Campaign] - 10/10/09

[Keywords: Matthew Shephard; Don't Ask Don't Tell, Bereavement Rights; Hospital Visitation Rights]

Arcigay: Ferite sulla pelle e dentro me

http://www.arcigay.it/ferite-sulla-pelle-e-dentro-me

8.10.9 Arcigay Roma [Italy]

Una serata interrotta bruscamente da un´aggressione alle spalle. Una coltellata al polmone, il ricovero in ospedale, l´operazione d´urgenza.

Poi, la convalescenza a casa, in un paese delle Marche, lontano dalla grande città, dal luogo dell' aggressione, dai riflettori.


A un mese e mezzo dalla violenza subita il 22 agosto 2009, Dino si mostra in pubblico e fa vedere le proprie ferite "fisiche e psicologiche". E confessa: "sono traumatizzato, la notte non riesco più a dormire. Ho incubi costanti, non riesco a tornare alla vita di prima".

Dino mostra la propria cicatrice sull´addome, segno dell´operazione. "Avrò cicatrici a vita - dice - questa è quella fisica". Poi certo ci sono ferite interiori.

"Ho scelto di tornare a mostrami - confessa - per essere un testimone, e per convincere tutti i ragazzi e le ragazze vittime di omofobia a denunciare gli episodi di violenza a loro danno".

"Purtoppo solo una minoranza denucia violenze e discriminazioni", afferma Arcigay Roma. Questo perché "si ha paura delle conseguenze", dice Dino che ammette come a volte si rinuncia a denunciare per evitare di fare coming out: "prima dell´aggressione - dice Dino - molti sapevano che ero gay, ora lo sanno tutti".

Poi Dino ha ricordato quella notte del 22 agosto. "Ero seduto con il mio ragazzo di fronte ad un ambulante di panini - racconta - di tanto in tanto ci scambiavamo un bacio. Ad un certo punto abbiamo sentito un uomo gridare: vergognatevi!". "Ma di cosa dobbiamo vergognarci, non facevamo nulla di male", prosegue il ragazzo. Poi la coltellata e il risveglio in ospedale. "Non mi ricordo più nulla di cosa è successo.

Intanto, il 15 dicembre è in programma il processo contro Svastichella, l´aggressore. "Abbiamo chiesto 300mila euro di risarcimento per danni morali e fisici - ha detto il responsabile legale di Arcigay Roma e avvocato di Dino, Daniele Stoppello - ma anche se l´importo sarà riconosciuto, resterà lettera morta se l´aggressore è nullatenente".

UN FONDO PER LE VITTIME DELLA VIOLENZA OMOFOBA
All´indomani dell´aggressione di una coppia di ragazzi gay, avvenuta lo scorso 22 agosto, Arcigay Roma lancia la proposta di "istituire un fondo nazionale per le vittime di omofobia. Chi ha subito violenza - secondo l´associazione - si ritrova in condizioni di non poter lavorare e in difficoltà economica, come è successo a Dino". Il fondo che propone Arcigay Roma, "potrebbe essere integrato dagli enti locali come avviene in altre regioni d´Italia per le donne vittime di violenza".

Di-ve: Julia Farrugia Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ with Gabi Calleja

http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsId=64879

12.10.9

Tonight Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ delves into gay rights issues.

Quizzed by Julia Farrugia Gabi Calleja, co-ordinator of the Malta Gay Rights Movement, answers the most intriguing questions.

Which political party is more likely to favour gay issues? With more than 22,000 gay people in Malta, is it high time that a new political gay-friendly party is set up?

Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ is produced by 24seven Media. Research by Tonio Bonello.

Previous editions of Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ can be viewed through di-ve.com’s on-demand media library.

BBC News: Gay rights activist Milk honoured

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8303917.stm

12.10.9

Milk was assassinated in 1978, less than a year after his election California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a bill that establishes a day recognising US gay rights leader Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk Day will be marked in California on 22 May, Milk's birthday. The activist was assassinated in 1978. Mr Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill last year. In the interim, Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was the subject of a film for which actor Sean Penn won an Oscar. Milk was a leader in the gay rights movement and was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. According to the new law, he was the first openly gay man elected to public office in a major public city. He was assassinated in November 1978, after 11 months in the role. Sean Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk earned him an Oscar Vetoing the previous bill in 2008, Mr Schwarzenegger said that Milk should be honoured locally by those to whom he made the greatest difference. The governor's spokesman, Aaron McLear, told Associated Press on Monday that the publicity Milk and his work had received over the past year had been a factor in his change of view. "That made the difference from last year: he's really come to symbolise the gay community in California," he said. The day will not be a state holiday but will be marked by public schools.

MaltaStar: Obama to remove ban on gay soldiers

http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=4730
11.10.9

US President Barack Obama has said he will end the ban on gay people serving openly in the military.

He said he would repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that allows gay people to serve in the military if they do not reveal their sexual orientation.

Mr Obama was speaking to America's largest gay group - the Human Rights Campaign - in Washington. He had been criticised by some in the gay community for the lack of action on gay marriage and the military issue.

Obama said the ban was punishing patriotic soldiers who were defending the country.

"We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country," Mr Obama said.

"We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage.

[Cllick on the hyperlink above to view the comments on MaltaStar's website.]

DOI: President's Speech at the Doha Conference organised by the Cana Movement

Department of Information [Malta] DOI – 06.10.2009; No. 1695

OPENING ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR GEORGE ABELA, PRESIDENT OF MALTA DURING THE DOHA COLLOQUIUM ‘STRENGTHENING MARRIAGE AND FAMILY’ - TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER 2009 - THE PALACE, VALLETTA

Good Morning to you all, participants in this colloquium on the theme of “Why Strengthening Marriage and the Family is important”. Looking at the programme, one may immediately see that the topics under discussion are quite varied and deal with a large number of issues which today affect marriage and the family. This topic is of special interest to Malta in this day and age like the rest of the world.

The task assigned to me is to inaugurate this colloquium with an address in general terms. Before trying to answer this question as to why it is important to strengthen marriage and the family, I believe that one should be clear here and define the exact meaning of the terms we are dealing with. What constitutes marriage? What is a family? This is essential in order to avoid ambiguities and debatable terms so that truth will prevail instead of manipulation.

If one may use the definition in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society” and this is significantly followed by the words “and is entitled to protection by society and the State”. Here, the family is clearly understood as being composed of two married parents, a male and a female, together with their offspring.

A general traditional definition of “marriage” is “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life with an openness to the gift of children”. So marriage does not mean relationships which involve two men or two women or a variety of other possibilities.

The same applies to the traditional family used in the singular to distinguish it from the word “families” in its plural form which embraces all kinds of unions. It is the family based on marriage, the patrimony of humanity. Though the family is composed of individuals, it is bigger than the sum of its parts because the interaction between the individuals is what really produces the effects of being a family – children, mutual material and emotional support, socialisation.

Although I am using here the adjective “traditional family” and “traditional meaning of marriage” thereby denoting the past or a type of family that in many ways no longer exist, in actual fact I am specifically referring to the constitutive element of the family and marriage, a permanent description that is not eroded by the wear and tear of time but also taking account of the past, present and future like every other reality which is living and vital.

But why is it important to strengthen marriage and the family?

The family is a universal and irreplaceable community rooted in human nature that is the basis for all societies at all times. As the cradle of life and love for each new generation, the family is the primary source of personal identity, self-esteem, and support for children. It is also the first and foremost school of life, uniquely suited to teach children integrity, character, morals, responsibility, service, and wisdom. As the UN Programme for the International Year of the Family (1994) states, the family provides:

The natural framework for the emotional, financial, and material support essential to the growth and development of its members, particularly infants and children…. The family remains a vital means of preserving and transmitting cultural values.

These roles of transmitting culture and socialising children make the family indispensable to civil society, as families transform helpless, dependant babies into responsible, independent adults.

Marriage, on the other hand, is the most important social act, one that involves much more than just the married couple. It is through marriage that the community and the nation are renewed. A new home is formed when a couple marries, one open to the creation of new life. The children are the future. Marriage also has beneficial social and health effects for both adults and children, and these gifts benefit the community and the whole society. Conversely, it is through the breakdown of marriage that society is gravely harmed. The future of the nation depends on the creation of good marriages and good homes for children.

Married-parent families have a greater chance to contribute to safer and better communities with less substance abuse and crime among young people, as well as less poverty and welfare dependency. Furthermore, married parents are more likely to produce young adults who view marriage positively and maintain life-long marriages. Marriage brings many health and economic benefits to society and helps citizens to be more involved in communities.

But one may ask “What is the situation in Malta as regards marriage and the family?”

Traditionally, the family in Malta was held to be very united and stable with dedicated parents looking after and rearing the children and often with the support of an extended family which often lived nearby and which could be of assistance in times of need. This is still so to a marked degree even today but, in recent times, single parent households have multiplied considerably and so has the incidence of childbirth outside wedlock. This has sounded alarm bells and today, more than ever, the importance of strengthening marriage and the family is being discussed in the media and other fora more than ever before.

However, contrary to the general perception, the marital bond in Malta is still very strong and we should all feel proud as a nation about this. In fact according to the latest national census carried out in 2005 by the National Statistics Office, only 5.65 per cent of our married couples officially separated. But at the same time the Maltese family is facing one of its greatest tests. It is undergoing rapid social changes, greatly influenced by current Western world lifestyles and the ever increasing secularization of the Maltese society. The Maltese traditional family model is changing. We are witnessing an increase in the number of working mothers which undoubtedly puts new pressures on the family. This raises the question as to whether the strong family values of marriage and fidelity, child-bearing and rearing and the family bond will continue to resist the daunting challenges ahead.

We must work hard to prevent family fragmentation because the consequences for children and society are severe. Studies have constantly shown that children raised outside marriage suffer disproportionately from physical and mental illness; they are more likely to drop out of school; abuse drugs or alcohol and engage in violence or suffer it in their homes and they are less likely to attend higher educational institutions.

Of course, many hard-working single parents do an excellent job in raising children and they need our support too. But when a family with children breaks down, there are always negative outcomes for children, depending on their age. The many and often unavoidable changes that accompany divorce or separation can undermine children’s sense of security and make them fearful of the future. From a child’s perspective, the unimaginable has happened – a parent is no longer at home. Children may be deeply afraid that the other parent is going to “disappear” too and leave them alone in the world. Children of broken families may feel rejected and unloved by the parent who has left.

Children may believe their parents’ separation is their fault, caused by something they said or did, or just the way they are, and feel a deep sense of guilt. Even difficult teens may be afraid that their behaviour has contributed to the break-up and made it easier for a parent to leave. These children may feel a huge sense of loss and sadness, believing that the absent parent has gone forever and that they no longer have a family – a way of life is at an end. Their feelings mirror those of children who really have lost a parent forever because of accident or illness. However, they are often underestimated or overlooked so that children of broken homes do not receive the same kind of support.

These emotional effects of marriage breakdown are felt by the separated spouses too. According to research released last July in the US, the trauma of a split can leave long-lasting effects on mental and physical health that remarriage might not repair.

All this makes it imperative that we need to strengthen marriage and the family. As I have already explained, even under the Declaration of Human Rights itself, the family is entitled to protection and it is primarily the State which has the responsibility to provide this protection through legal measures and appropriate administrative structures. After all the State and society as a whole have a vested interest in the stability of families because they are the cells that build or compose the body of society. In this respect when parents are raising children they are not merely raising children but they are in reality raising a nation.

I do not pretend that I have all the answers as to what can be done to strengthen marriage and the family. But some suggestions may be considered.

The State may set up structures or strengthen existing ones to support marriage and families. In Malta, there is already the National Commission for the Family which has an advisory capacity. This Commission may be strengthened further or be re-established. The creation of a Commissioner for the Family and the setting up of an Inter-Ministerial Committee to plan and execute a holistic strategy in favour of marriage and family have been recently suggested. For this, as for any other measure, the necessary resources – human and financial – would have to be allocated.

Financial assistance is also important. Families with children below a certain income are already entitled to children’s allowance, besides free education for children up to university level as well as stipends for older children. Perhaps more fiscal incentives could be considered according to the means of the State at any given time. Families in financial difficulties may, at times, be victims to emotional pressures that may compound an already stressful situation.

Education is always of paramount importance. Educating students on the importance of family and stable marriage could be part of the national curriculum so that these concepts become inculcated into young citizens’ minds from an early age. Young people may sometimes be imbibed with ideas derived from the media which do not always present the realities of married life in their proper perspective and this may lead to disillusionment when they are themselves married and trying to form a viable family.

The State is not the only structure that can take measures or conduct studies and make recommendations to strengthen marriage and the family. The Catholic Church in Malta has the Diocesan Family Commission and a useful organisation in the Cana Movement, which is a non-governmental organisation which has for decades done a great deal of work to give couples who marry in Church a positive outlook on marriage and the family. The Centre for Family Studies has been opened at the University of Malta not long ago. Civil society and the communications media can also help. One may create a public discourse on the benefits and value of the family and marriage. Married couples with healthy relationship skills may share their experiences with others by using the media. Perhaps volunteers could be organised to speak at secondary schools and colleges about the benefits of marriage.

Presently at Appoġġ, a Government Support Unit, there is also “The Family Therapy Service” where families can seek support but this service is overburdened and needs further investment. Working in favour of strengthening marriage and the family is never enough and all possible contributions should be mobilised towards this vital goal.

Having said this, it is also true that whatever is done, there will still be marriages that fail and there will remain the need to address this problem. What is one to make of such situations in Malta? A number of separated spouses, either separated “de facto” or “de jure”, set up household with other partners and sometimes children are born as a result of these partnerships which may, in some cases, be relatively stable. Some are inclined to call such households composed of a male and female partner and their children born of their union “families in all but in name”. But should the term “family” be solely used in the case where a couple is officially married or are we to consider stable unions also to fall within the definition of a family? Are these unions to be considered merely as social affectionate aggregations giving rise to certain rights and obligations without however being put on the same level to a family? This begs again the original question as to what we understand by the term “family” in the present day context. I believe that an answer to this question has become a political priority in Malta and I do not want to pre-empt the discussion on this topic since my office precludes me at this stage to enter into the political fray.

As the law stands, our Maltese legislator has to some extent responded to new situations and the old distinctions between so-called legitimate and illegitimate children have been removed and today children, whether born in or outside wedlock, enjoy the same rights and this is as it should be. But should our law allow for the recognition of diversity in that unions outside marriage be recognised and that cohabiting partners be given rights akin to marital rights where it concerns maintenance, succession rights and other personal rights? As the position stands today, this is not permissible at law.

Given that it is impossible for such cohabiting couples to marry even had they wanted to, and given that a divorce legitimately obtained abroad is recognised under Maltese Law, such a situation has been discarded by some commentators as unfair. This situation has also been among the arguments in favour of the enactment of a law on divorce and the consequent right to remarry which some argue militates in favour of the family because it decreases cohabitation by giving rise to new families in marriage. On the other hand, those who oppose divorce legislation argue that second or subsequent marriages tend to be even more fragile than the first. This debate is ongoing and opinions sharply divided as evidenced by the recently published report entitled “For Worse, For Better: Re-Marriage after Legal Separation” published by “The Today Public Policy Institute” which is a non-governmental organisation and the critical reading entitled “For Worse not For Better” published under the aegis of the Diocesan Family Commission, Caritas Malta and the Cana Movement.

Be that as it may, it is felt that the time has come to take stock of the situation and to take decisions regarding family law in Malta. I believe that such a sensitive subject should be considered with empathy and a sentiment of compassion. I understand that this colloquium can give a valid contribution in this respect and before ending; I would like to recall what the winner of the Nobel Memorial prize in Economics, Mr Amartya Sen, underlined:

“A country’s development and well-being is not only determined by the Gross Domestic Product, but especially by the quality of life, relations and freedom. So, many sociological surveys demonstrate how families help in producing complete human development”.

Thank you.

[HIS EXCELLENCY DR GEORGE ABELA, PRESIDENT OF MALTA]

Times Blog: In defence of marriage

http://www.timesofmalta.com/blogs/view/20091008/fr-joe-borg/in-defence-of-marriage
Thursday, 8th October 2009 by Fr Joe Borg

[Excerpt of the article.]

As I will write in my regular column in The Sunday Times (next Sunday 11/10/09) I cannot comment on the proceedings of the Doha conference held this week in Malta. I had to decline the invitation as this was extended to me on condition that I attend all sessions, a commitment which I could not make.

In The Sunday Times, I will be commenting on a number of aspects of the speech delivered by President George Abela. In this blog I will comment on other aspects of that speech and other contributions that I did not include in my column in The Sunday Times.

Marriage: only between a man and a woman

The President in his speech made use of the definition of family used in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: "The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society." Dr Abela says that "here, the family is clearly understood as being composed of two married parents, a male and a female, together with their offspring." And when later he uses a definition of marriage he adds that "So marriage does not mean relationships which involve two men or two women or a variety of other possibilities."

The President does not include the possibility of gay marriage among the family related issues that he thinks have become a political priority. Good for him since marriage can only exist between a man and a woman. The natural structure of human sexuality makes man and woman complementary partners for expressing conjugal love and for transmitting human life.

This unique complementarity makes possible the conjugal bond that is the core of marriage. The permanent and exclusive commitment of marriage is the necessary context for the expression of sexual love both to serve the transmission of human life and to build up the bond between husband and wife.

As the United States bishops said in one of their statements "same-sex union contradicts the nature and purposes of marriage. It is not based on the natural complementarily of male and female. It cannot cooperate with God to create new life; and the natural purpose of sexual union cannot be achieved by a same-sex union. Because persons in a same-sex union cannot enter into a true conjugal union, it is wrong to equate their relationship to a marriage."

...

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the entire article and comments on the Times' website.]

MaltaStar: GWU’s policy paper calls for LGBT employment rights to be seen as fundamental human rights

http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=4632

6.10.9

The employment rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons (LGBT) are trade unionists rights, and trade unionist rights are fundamental rights of the human being, the General Workers Union’s policy paper on LGBT employees said.

The GWU launched five policy papers, one of which deals with the rights of the LGBT community on the workplace.

“One of the highest fundamental principles is that each person is born free, each having the same rights and dignity. This universal principle intrinsically means that no one should suffer discrimination, neither in society nor in the workplace, due to race, belief, sex, identity nor gender expression and sexual orientation.” The policy paper said.

The situation in Malta

The union noted that a number of LGBT persons are being discriminated, ridiculed and abused, verbally and physically, in their workplace and social life.

“Workers coming from sexual minorities do not enjoy the same rights and benefits that married couples are entitled to, such as the right to emergency family leave, parental leave in the case of a non biological parent, and the possibility that certain forms of insurance provided by the State or by employers be extended to their partners.”

The policy paper that initial measures were taken in the Seventies, where homosexuality was de-criminalized and more recently in the European Union Directive No 2006/54/KE which grants more rights to transsexual persons.

However, the GWU also noted: “a person who changes identity, even though endorsed by official certification such as the identity card and passport, for the purpose of marriage the transsexual person is still considered to be a person of the gender, which he or she was born.”

Proposals

The GWU states that the government, together with the social partners, should discuss the legal parameters in the Malta Council for Economic and Social development, so that in the near future, the parliament will pass laws that entitle LGBT persons the same amount of bereavement leave and urgent family leave.

“Subsequently, after these two enactments, all the rights that workers enjoy today should be implemented.”

Times: Gay rights movement commends MEPs

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091009/letters/gay-rights-movement-commends-meps

Friday, 9th October 2009 by Bernard Muscat, Malta Gay Rights Movement, Mosta

The Malta Gay Rights Movement would like to applaud all five Maltese members of the European Parliament for their positive vote taken lately on a resolution regarding a discriminatory law proposed in Lithuania. The law sought to render illegal all forms of information regarding sexual diversity, possibly including websites, exhibitions and information booklets.

The ultimate purpose behind this proposed legislation is one which continues to suppress and ignore the dignity of Lithuanian LGBT (Lesbian gay bisexual transgender) people by trying to obscure their existence altogether. The proposed legislation is meant to prohibit, for example, any mention of diverse family forms, any discussions about anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies in schools in public fora, and to outlaw the campaigning for LGBT equality and public demonstrations such as Pride Marches.

Lithuania's answer to sexual diversity is to block it out, refusing to acknowledge the existence of its LGBT citizens and preferring instead to ban all information about an already historically oppressed minority. We thus commend all five Maltese MEPs on their stand opposing any form of legislation which would further undermine the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as equal citizens in the communities in which they live.

MGRM looks forward to work more closely with the Maltese MEPs to help ensure a Europe where LGBT people live their lives in dignity - free from discrimination, harassment or violence.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

---

See also:

Times: Why did Maltese MEPs condemn Lithuania?

MaltaToday: Casa and Busuttil join pro-gay majority

EU Parliament: Lithuanian law on child protection: MEPs say changes needed

Times: ‘We must strengthen families’ ‘The traditional family model is changing’ [- President Abela]

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091007/local/we-must-strengthen-families

Wednesday, 7th October 2009 by Fiona Galea Debono

The time was ripe for decisions to be made on family law, President George Abela suggested yesterday, questioning whether unions outside marriage should be recognised and cohabiting partners afforded similar marital rights.

He said he believed the sensitive subject of family law should be considered with empathy and compassion.

It was clearly understood that the family was composed of two married parents, a male and a female, and their offspring, and did not involve relationships between two men, or two women, he said quoting the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

But should the term “family” be used solely in the case of a couple that was officially married, he questioned, saying the answer had become a political priority.
Delivering the opening address of the Doha Colloquium on Strengthening Marriage and Family at the President’s Palace in Valletta, Dr Abela refrained from merely giving a general introduction.

He delved into the health and economic benefits of marriage and commented on the negative repercussions of divorce.

Married-parent families had a greater chance of contributing to safer and better communities, with less substance abuse and crime among youths, poverty and welfare dependency, he said.

Married parents were also more likely to produce young adults who viewed marriage positively and maintained life-long commitments.

“We must work hard to prevent family fragmentation because the consequences for children and society are severe,” Dr Abela said, quoting studies that have constantly shown children raised outside marriage suffered disproportionately from physical and mental illness among other disadvantages.

The family was a universal and irreplaceable community, rooted in human nature – the basis for all societies at all times – and it had to be strengthened, he insisted.
“It is through the breakdown of marriage that society is gravely harmed. The future of the nation depends on the creation of good marriages and good homes for children,” the president said.

Addressing the local situation, he said despite the increase in single-parent households and births outside wedlock sounding alarm bells, the marital bond was still strong, contrary to general perception.

But the family was also facing one of its greatest tests, influenced by Western lifestyles and society’s increasing secularisation. The traditional family model was changing, and whether its strong values would continue to resist the daunting challenges was a question mark.

“Of course, many hard-working single parents do an excellent job in raising children and need our support. But when a family breaks down, there are always negative outcomes for the children,” he said.

“Their feelings mirror those of children who have really lost a parent forever. But they are often underestimated and do not receive the same support,” Dr Abela continued.

“The trauma of a split can leave long-lasting effects on mental and physical health that remarriage may not repair,” he said.

The protection of the family was primarily the State’s responsibility, the President said, offering his suggestions, including the setting up and strengthening of structures, such as the National Commission for the Family.

The necessary resources would have to be allocated to the creation of a Commissioner for the Family and the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee for a holistic strategy in favour of marriage and family, he said.

Dr Abela also suggested considering more fiscal incentives for families with children below a certain income, and pointed out that the family therapy service provided by Appoġġ was overburdened and needed more investment.

Educating students on the importance of stable marriages could be part of the national curriculum, he recommended.

Married couples, with healthy relationship skills, could share their experiences through the media, and volunteers could speak at schools on the benefits of marriage.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

It-Torċa: Il-katavri bil-kolla fil-warrani

[Dan l-artiklu mhux fiq is-sit tat-Torċa s'issa.]
4.10.9 minn Gaetano Micallef

Bil-qiegħda mal-art u liebes ħwejjeġ tradizzjonali Għarbin, Abu Hamizi jidħol fl-internet kuljum u jdum mas-sitt siegħat jgħarrex għas-siti elettroniċi li fihom jikkomunikaw il-gays. Imma ż-żagħżugħ ta’ 22 sena m’huwiex ifittex żgħażagħ gay biex jagħmel ħbieb magħhom. Anzi l-kuntrarju. Qiegħed ifittixhom biex l-għaqda li jifforma parti minnha ssibhom u toqtolhom.


Hamizi huwa wieħed mill-militanti Iraqqini li qegħdin jippersegwitaw lill-kommunità gay tal-pajjiż. Huwa nnifsu jistqarr li l-internet huwa l-eħfef mod biex issib lil dawk li huwa jsejħilhom bħala "in-nies li qegħdin jeqirdu l-Iżlam". Meta jsibhom jagħmel l-arranġamenti neċessarji biex dawn jiġu attakkati u jekk ikun hemm bżonn jinqatlu.

Il-persekuzzjoni tan-"nies maħmuġa"

Għalkemm l-Iraq ġeneralment ikun fl-aħbarijiet għall-attakki bil-bombi u l-għexieren ta’ vittmi li jħallu warajhom, ftit huma dawk li huma konxji bil-persekuzzjoni li għaddejjin minnha l-gays tal-pajjiż. Mill-bidu ta’ din is-sena huwa stmat li fil-pajjiż inqatlu xejn inqas minn 130. "L-annimali jixirqilhom iktar ħniena minn dawn in-nies maħmuġa li jagħmlu atti moqżieża. Qabel noqtluhom nagħtuhom iċ-ċans li jitolbu lil Alla jaħfrilhom", isostni Hamizi. Ironikament, taħt Saddam Hussein l-omosesswalità ma kinietx meqjusa bħala att kriminali. Il-vjolenza fil-konfront tal-gays bdiet wara l-invażjoni tal-Istati Uniti u l-alleati tagħha fl-2003. L-eks-dittatur kien jittollera l-gays għax ma kienx iħossu mhedded minnhom. Kien għalhekk li huma ma kienux jgħixu fil-biżgħa u lanqas kienu jħossu li għandhom jaħarbu mill-pajjiż.

Imma llum is-sitwazzjoni hija differenti. Ali Hali, ċermen ta’ grupp Iraqqin ibbażat f’Londra li jiddefendi d-drittijiet tal-gays, il-bisesswali u t-transesswali, jgħid li mill-2004 ‘il hawn fl-Iraq inqatlu madwar 680 minnhom fosthom seba’ nisa. Huwa jemmen li n-numru jista’ jkun ikbar għax ħafna każijiet li jinvolvu rġiel miżżewġa ma jiġux rappurtati. Skont Hali,

l-Iraq sar "l-agħar post għall-gays fid-dinja".

Il-qtil tal-gays huwa brutali imma t-torturi li jgħaddu minnhom m’huma xejn inqas. Azhar al-Saeed kellha tifel gay li nqatel. Hija tgħid li binha kien tifel tajjeb imma ma kienx qiegħed jimxi mat-tagħlim tal-Iżlam. "Tliet ijiem wara li ħatfuli t-tifel irċevejt ittra wara l-bieb b’taqtir ta’ demm fuqha. Il-messaġġ fl-ittra kien jgħid li d-demm kien ta’ ibni u li dan issa ġie purifikat. Fl-ittra qaluli wkoll fejn stajt insib il-katavru tat-tifel".

Flimkien mal-pulizija l-mara marret fil-post indikat u hemm sabet lil binha mejjet b’sinjali ċari ta’ tortura. Il-parti ġenitali tiegħu kienet maqtugħa u l-warrani nstab mimli bil-kolla. Ommu tgħid li din id-dehra se tibqa’ stampata f’moħħha sakemm tmut. Għalkemm il-pulizija Iraqqina tgħid li dan il-qtil m’huwiex relatat mal-omosesswalità imma ma’ ġlied bejn gruppi differenti, l-għaqda ta’ Hamizi tgħid li kuljum hija "tinterroga" żewġ persuni. Haydar, żagħżugħ gay minn Baghdad, kien jgħix f’appartament ma’ ħabib tiegħu wkoll gay. Dan tal-aħħar inħataf u nqatel. Haydar fittex fl-aħħar sit elettroniku li kien daħal fih il-ħabib tiegħu u ikkuntattja lill-aħħar persuna li tkellmet mal-ħabib tiegħu.

Ftit tal-jiem wara, fuq l-għatba tal-bieb tal-appartament, Haydar sab ittra li wissietu bil-konsegwenzi jekk ma jobdix ir-regoli tal-Iżlam. Dan wasslu biex jibda jippjana ħalli jaħrab mill-pajjiż. Huwa beħsiebu jmur jgħix il-Ġordan biex jevita d-destin li għadda minnu l-ħabib tiegħu. Hashim huwa żagħżugħ ieħor li ġie attakkat. Huwa kien għaddej minn triq meta erbat irġiel qabżu fuqu, tawh xebgħa u qatgħulu wieħed mis-swaba. L-irġiel wissewh li fi żmien xahar kellu jiżżewweġ u jibda jgħix "ħajja tradizzjonali". Inkella kienu se joqtluh. Hashim jgħid li jibża’ joħroġ mid-dar u m’għandux flus biex jaħrab.

Skont il-Human Rights Watch (HRW), għaqda magħrufa li taħdem favur id-drittijiet umani, fl-Iraq hemm gruppi vjolenti li saħansitra jagħmlu pressjoni fuq irġiel li jkun lebsin "ħwejjeġ tal-Punent". Fl-fatt irġiel li jħallu xagħrhom twil, iqaxxru l-leħja u jilbsu ħwejjeġ fitted’ m’humiex meqjusin bħala "irġiel ta’ veru".

L-għaqda ħejjiet rapport ta’ 67 paġna mimli rapporti ta’ nies gay li irrakkontaw kif ġew ittorturati. Fir-rapport l-għaqda takkuża lill-pulizija Iraqqina li mhiex tinvestiga kif jixraq dawn l-attakki u li m’hi tagħmel xejn biex twaqqaf il-vjolenza fil-konfront tal-gays. L-istess tħassib intwera mill-Amnesty International, għaqda oħra li taħdem favur id-drittijiet umani. L-HRW saħansitra tallega li hemm pulizija li jwaqqfu rġiel li jkunu jidhru iffemminati u jirredikolawhom jekk mhux ukoll ikunu involuti fil-ħtif tagħhom.

L-iktar grupp magħruf għall-persekuzzjoni tal-gays huwa magħruf bħala l-Armata Mahdi. Dan il-grupp iqis lill-gays bħala "it-tielet sess" u jemmen li l-azzjonijiet tiegħu huma "ir-rimedju" għal din il-problema. Anke ħwienet tal-kafè u tal-barbiera ġew attakkati għax kienu frekwentati mill-gays.

Scott Long, direttur fil-HRW responsabbli mid-drittijiet tal-gays, bisesswali u transesswali, isostni li l-mexxejja Iraqqini suppost jiddefendu liċ-ċittadini kollha u mhux jabbandunawhom bil-konsegwenza li jisfgħu vittmi ta’ nies armati. Nies li ġew intervistati għall-istess rapport iddeskrivew xeni fejn katavri ta’ gays maqtula tpoġġew maż-żibel jew imdendlin bħala twissija għalihom.

Skont l-istess xhieda, in-nies armati li jaħtfu l-gays jattakkaw id-djar u jittorturawhom biex jikxfu gays oħra. Tobba li tkellmu mal-għaqda irrakkontaw kif sabu katavri bil-warrani magħluq bil-kolla Š sinjal ċar li l-kawża tal-qtil kienet l-omesesswalità.

Bħal f’diversi pajjiżi meqjusin "ċivilizzati" jew "avvanzati", anke fl-Iraq l-omosesswalità hija ikkunsidrata bħala suġġett-tabù. Il-ġurnali tal-pajjiż ikollhom artikli li jwissu dwar il-periklu tal-"irġiel iffemminati". B’mod ġenerali l-Iraqqini la jifmuhom u wisq iktar jissimpatizzaw magħhom. Il-gays Iraqqini huma ikkunsidrati bħala imbarazzament għall-familja u kien hemm każijiet fejn inqatlu minn membri tal-familja stess.

L-ipokresija tar-reliġjużi

It-trattament tal-gays fl-Iraq hija kapitlu ieħor fid-dinja fejn persuna jew grupp ta’ persuni jiġu ippersegwitati, torturati jew saħansitra maqtula f’isem ir-reliġjon. Il-qattiela jgħidu li qegħdin jagħmlu dan f’isem ir-reliġjon u għal Alla. Bħalma fi żmien il-kruċjati l-Insara u l-Musulmani biċċru lil xulxin f’isem Alla, illum qegħdin isibu sezzjonijiet oħra fi ħdanhom stess biex jippersegwitawhom.

Għalkemm m’inix gay, l-idea li jkun hemm min jirredikolahom insibha bħala sinjal ċar ta’ soċjetà b’mentalità magħluqa. Speċjalment f’ċertu pajjiżi, inkluż tagħna, fejn ħafna nies iserrħu l-kuxjenza "reliġjuża" sempliċiment għax jattendu xi funzjoni reliġjuża jew jitolbu imma fl-istess ħin ma jiddejqu xejn iweġġgħu lil ħaddieħor bl-atteġġjament tagħhom.

L-Orizzont: SE NIBQGĦU… KREDIBBLI, KOMPETENTI U KONSISTENTI

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=57183

6.10.9

[Parti mill-artiklu.]

Id-delegati u ‘shop stewards’ tal-GWU lbieraħ filgħodu nġabru fil-WMB għall-Kungress Nazzjonali tal-2009 li kien jaħbat ukoll il-jum li fih l-unjin kienet qiegħda tiċċelebra s-66 anniversarju tagħha.

Fil-Kungress Nazzjonali tal-bieraħ, li kellu t-tema “Kre di bilità, Kompetenza, Konsistenza”, id-delegati u x-‘shop stewards’ approvaw unaninament l-Amministrazzjoni Ċen trali li se tmexxi lill-unjin fl-erba’ snin li ġejjin.

...

Id-Delegati tal-GWU approvaw b’mod unanimu l-ħames dokumenti ppreżentati lilhom. Dawn id-dokumenti jitkellmu dwar “Ħaddiema lesbjani, irġiel gay, bisesswali u persini transgrnder,” Ugwaljanza fuq il-post tax-xogħol b’enfasi fuq il-ġeneru,” “Politika tal-Pagi,” “Ħaddiema immigranti” kif ukoll id-dokument “Protezzjoni tad-Data.”

...

Zarb sostna li “rridu nibqgħu niġġeddu u nkunu proattivi. Irridu nibqgħu nkunu minn ta’ quddiem fl-istorja soċjo-ekonomika tal-pajjiż. Irridu nib­qgħu niddefendu l-livell t’għix ien tal-familji Maltin iku nu x’ikunu ċ-ċirkostanzi. Nib qgħu dik il-forza progressiva ma’ kull żmien il-ħaddiema, iż-żgħa żagħ, il-pensjonanti u l-familji jaraw fina. Dan għax aħna jekk nemmnu f’xi ħaġa nwet tquha. Lesti li nagħmlu dan kollu flimkien bħala għaqda waħda għax hekk hemm bżonn li nagħmlu fl-aħjar interess tal-ħaddiema speċjalment fiż-żmi en meta l-politika tal-Gvern tkun li jkompli jitfa’ l-piżijiet fuq il-ħaddiema. Gvern b’politika li tkompli tgħabbi lil min l-inqas li jiflaħ iġorr u ma jismax il-karba li jkun qiegħed jagħmillu l-poplu li ma jiflaħx aktar. Politika li hi allura nsensittiva għall-qagħda tal-poplu Malti.” Tenna li “trid tkun il-GWU li mhux biss iġġib fil-wiċċ il-weġ għat tal-poplu, iżda wkoll li naħ dmu biex inbiegħdu lill-poplu minn dawn id-diffikultajiet li għandu quddiemu. Ikun tajjeb li nwasslu messaġġ ċar lill-Gvern: “il-poplu ma jiflaħx aktar. Tkomplix tinjora dan l-appell u tibqa’ tgħabbi lill-poplu għax se jkun il-poplu li fl-aħħar iwaqqfek”.

Zarb qal li “f’dan l-ambitu partikolari, irridu nwasslu stedina speċjalment lill-unjins f’paj jiżna u lill-organizazzjonijiet oħrajn u ngħidulhom li l-GWU lesta li taħdem ma’ kul ħadd fl-interess tal-ħaddiema u tal-pajjiż. Illum qassamna wkoll ħames ‘policy papers’ ġodda li l-Kunsill Nazzjonali approva. Dan juri d-dina miżmu tal-GWU. F’dawn il-‘policy papers’ qegħdin nuru li aħna nagħtu spazju u leħen lil kulħadd. Bħala stituzzjoni nazzjonali, jinteressana mhux biss il-qagħda tal-ħaddiem fuq il-post tax-xogħol iżda anki il-ħajja tal-ħaddiem barra l-post tax-xogħol. Għax aħna nħarsu lejn il-ħaddiem bħala bniedem sħiħ fit-totalità. Il-‘policy papers’ jitkellmu dwar il-ħaddiema’ immigranti, l-ugwaljanza fuq il-post tax-xogħol li tista’ tiġi mminata, ‘wage policy’, il-ħaddiema lesbjani, gays, transes­swali u bi-sesswali u anki dwar il-protezzjoni tad-data.

...

Times: GWU national congress: Muscat speaks of minimal budget as Gonzi urges economic realism

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091006/local/muscat-speaks-of-minimal-budget-as-gonzi-urges-economic-realism
6.10.9 by Kurt Sansone

[Excerpts from the article.]

A budget without higher taxation was the "indispensable minimum" in the current economic climate, Labour leader Joseph Muscat told General Workers' Union delegates during their national congress yesterday.

...

Earlier, delegates heard GWU president Victor Carachi give his union's nod to Renzo Piano's Valletta entrance regeneration project, insisting it would create jobs and economic activity.

...

Delegates approved five policy papers on gay workers, gender equality at work, wage policy, data protection and migrant workers.

...

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

Times: Not much hope of cohabitation rights

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091005/letters/not-much-hope-of-cohabitation-rights

Monday, 5th October 2009 by Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, spokesman on civil rights, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party, Paola

Asked whether the MGRM (Malta Gay Rights Movement) sees same-sex marriage as a realistic prospect any time soon, MGRM’s Gaby Calleja said: “Currently, the two major political parties are proposing cohabitation rights but this is bare minimum legal recognition and is very limited in the rights it would give to LGBT couples (September 29).

“More is required and this is what we are pushing for”. The reality is that not one Member of Parliament, and nobody from the government side is prepared to even dare propose cohabitation rights.

The so-called “proposals” – which to my knowledge have never even been declared in any of the other parties’ electoral programmes – will never be turned into concrete legislative proposals in the current scenario. One can “push for more” when there is at least something to start with.

Today we do not even have the basics in place whether it be for separated couples who wish to be able to regulate their legal position through divorce, or legal rights and protection for the most vulnerable party in any relationship whether same-sex or not.

Our Parliament is not simply conservative – on such issues it can even be called mediaeval.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

Times: More at home here than at the Vatican [Prof. Kmiec - New Ambassador to the USA]

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091001/letters/more-at-home-here-than-at-the-vatican

Thursday, 1st October 2009 by Rev. Philip Joseph Gambin, Msida

When US President Barack Obama was casting around for an ambassador to send to the Vatican, the name of Douglas Kmiec came up. So did the names of a couple of other American Catholics, including Caroline Kennedy. But none got the job. Why? Because Rome wouldn't have them.
Italian journalist Massimo Franco reported that papal advisers told Mr Obama's aides privately that all three failed to meet the Vatican's most basic qualification on the abortion issue. The eventual appointee to the Holy See was Miguel Diaz, a Catholic theologian from Minnesota.

Malta got Prof. Kmiec.

So why didn't he get the No. 1 job in Rome?

Ms Kennedy is pro-abortion, so that was clear enough.

An official of the Vatican Secretariat of State said the Holy See had always set a very simple standard: the person should not be in opposition to the fundamental teachings of the Church "that belong to our common shared humanity".

The official added: "We could not accept someone who is in favour of abortion, or (human) cloning or same-sex unions equated to marriage. He (Kmiec) nailed the last nail in the coffin with his disappointing position on embryonic stem cell research".

Now, who is Prof. Kmiec? He is an American legal scholar and author, currently professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University after previous appointments at Notre Dame University and the Catholic University of America.

A former adviser to Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, he caused a stir last year when he endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for President in spite of Mr Obama's strongly pro-abortion position. As a result, he was denied Communion at a Mass in California by a priest who was later told by Cardinal Roger Mahony to apologise.

So what is Prof. Kmiec?

Well, he said he supported Mr Obama because of the need to find "common ground" on such topics as abortion and supported Mr Obama's controversial appearance at Notre Dame University's commencement ceremony in May. He has described Mr Obama as "sounding more Catholic than most Catholics I know".

At a Church forum, Prof. Kmiec last year said the question of when a baby acquires human rights was "above his pay grade", in other words, a question he couldn't answer.

More recently, in May this year, Prof. Kmiec proposed that legal marriage should be abolished so as to "accommodate" the homosexual movement. This directly contradicts Catholic teaching. In 2005, before becoming Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger denounced any such proposal as "gravely unjust".

Prof. Kmiec is one of an unusual number of Catholics with whom President Obama has surrounded himself; all of whom could be described as "liberal" Catholics and holding similar positions on key issues as Prof. Kmiec.

In the United States, this has sharpened the divide between Catholics who hold faithfully to the teaching of the Church and those who can manage to say openly that they support such matters as abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem cell research and the like and still proclaim themselves Catholics.

The recent public funeral for Teddy Kennedy highlighted this division. It also brought to light how, in 1964, a group of dissenting Catholic theologians persuaded Senator Kennedy that a Catholic politician could say: "I personally oppose abortion, but..."

It was this manipulation of this deep-seated divide in the American Catholic community that enabled Mr Obama to win a majority of the Catholic vote and the Presidency. One of the instruments of this manipulation has been Prof. Kmiec.

In view of the emerging divide among Catholics - and even the hierarchy - in Malta over the issue of legalised divorce, perhaps Ambassador Kmiec may find himself more at home in Valletta than he would have in the Vatican.

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

Times: University: Cocktails, condoms and a world-renowned scientist

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091001/local/university-cocktails-condoms-and-a-world-renowned-scientist

Thursday, 1st October 2009 by Christian Peregin

[Excerpt of the article]

There's only one place where you can expect to find priests handing out cocktails, telephony companies handing out free condoms and world-renowned scientists taking part in a debate, all at the same time.

The University opened its gates to another Freshers' Week yesterday and hundreds of students buzzed around, catching up with old friends, joining organisations and seeing all the university has to offer.

The Quadrangle, as the main square is called, was filled with various companies all trying their best to stand out and handing out free merchandise ranging from pens to razors.

Vodafone stood out by handing out free condoms with their new student package - a dig at the age-old university debate about whether a condom machine should be installed or not.

...

Some new organisations were more proactive than others. The newly formed "progressive" organisation, Move, went around asking students to fill up their survey, challenging them to give their views on all the hot issues: gay rights, divorce, abortion and the morning-after pill.

The Chaplaincy tried a different approach and just attracted students by handing out non-alcoholic cocktails they prepared on the spot.

...

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the entire article and the comments on the Times' website.]

Times: Why did Maltese MEPs condemn Lithuania?

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091001/letters/why-did-maltese-meps-condemn-lithuania

Thursday, 1st October 2009 by George Camilleri, Victoria

It appears that Maltese EPs recently voted in favour of a resolution passed by the European Parliament condemning Lithuania for passing a law prohibiting the promotion in schools of homosexual, bisexual and polygamous relations.

Can our learned representatives in Europe please explain?

[Click on the hyperlink above to view the comments on the Times' website.]

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See also:

MaltaToday: Casa and Busuttil join pro-gay majority

EU Parliament: Lithuanian law on child protection: MEPs say changes needed